We have to say if you don’t have website by now then your business risks losing out.
An IT company selling websites and other digital marketing products is bound to say that. But when the warning comes from the Federation of Small Business (FSB), then it’s worth taking note.
The FSB carried out a survey recently and found that many small firms in the UK still don't have a website.
The survey also found that of the firms with websites, only one in three were using it for sales.
This raises two questions:
1. Do I need a business website?
2. What should I use my business website for?
The answer to question one is emphatically YES. If you don’t have a website your business is missing out on millions (yes, millions) of potential customers.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that, 87% of all adults used the internet daily or almost every day in 2019.
Researching goods is the second most popular activity after sending emails (at least of the activity people will admit to!), so that could be people looking for something your company sells.
The majority of the adults stated they used social networks, so as well as a website for your business it’s also a good idea to get Facebook, Twitter, Instagram pages for it as well.
A business website is a showcase for your firm and now mobile use has overtaken desktop and laptop – you can’t afford to ignore it and now the site should be geared for mobile first.
Majority of adults under 45 use the internet on the move. And this leads, conveniently, to question number two: ‘what should I use my business website for?’
A website is, frequently these days, the first point of contact a potential customer has with your business. So what will they find when they get there?
The FSB points out that many websites don’t sell online and while it’s a great idea to be a bona fide ecommerce business with product selectors, shopping carts and multiple payment and shipping options, that’s not always possible.
Some businesses don’t lend themselves to selling online, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of your website functionality to make a sale.
Enquiry forms, click to call, conversion banners, online appointment software – there are lots of ways to make a sale from your website without ‘selling online’.
Showrooming is becoming the shopping option of choice for many consumers and mobile internet is feeding this habit.
Basically, ‘showrooming’ is looking in-store and then buying online. You might not have a high street store, but you might be selling stuff that’s in them.
So if you can sell online, it’s advisable to do it.
In a nutshell: Get a website for your business and give it as much functionality as you can to help make sales.
And remember, even if you just get a website to create an online presence – it represents the most cost-effective marketing you’ll ever adopt.
If you find that your site is not mobile friendly then it is time to act. We can help convert your site quickly and within a budget that won’t hurt your pocket. With current trends the mobile search market is going to continually grow, so it`s important to make sure your website is mobile responsive.
Please contact us today to see how we can help you and your business!
Google has set up a handy tool to judge if your website is mobile friendly or now. Go to this page on Google Webmasters to test your site.
