5 Questions about your Business Website Answered.

So you have a small to medium business, and you are wondering if you need a business website. The answer is quite simple: Yes!! Times have changed, and we are living in the age of the Internet. A person looking for information on a business or service will most probably browse the web instead of reaching for a phone book. Because of this shift to a digital culture it has become vital for any SMB to create a prominent presence on the web. While this might sound like a daunting and time consuming task, it is without a doubt worth the effort.

1)      Why bother with a business website?

The internet does not care whether your business is an international corporation or run from your house. By creating a professional business website you have a fighting chance against the big boys. If your website looks as good as or better than that of your big corporate competition, potential clients are as likely to use your services as theirs. This gives you an advantage that is otherwise impossible to achieve as an SMB.

2)      Where do I start?

The best way to start building a successful online presence is by having an actual website, and NO, a Facebook page DOES NOT COUNT! Having a Facebook page or Twitter account is great, but without an actual business website, people will perceive your SMB as another fly by night operation out to make a quick buck. Show your potential clients that you are legit. Register a domain name and create an actual website for your business.

3)      What do I put on my website?

Potential clients need somewhere they can go to see what your business is about, browse your products and get a general feel for your company. The best way to draw people to your website is to offer them something of value that they can share with others. Give the public advice and share the latest news about your industry. Your content is a reflection on your company, so make sure that your business website offers readers something of real value.

4)      My website is awesome. Why can’t anyone find it?

Competition is high in any industry. A search engine will spit out millions of results for literally any keyword you can think of. There are two main ways to get your website noticed.

1: Employ a Google adwords campaign. A pay per click campaign is probably the quickest and easiest way to get web traffic to your business website. You set the limits of your PPC campaign, so do not worry about the costs raging out of control.

2: Perform proper SEO on your website. If you have not done proper search engine optimisation (SEO) on your business website you will not appear on the first page, where you need to be. If you have no idea what SEO is or how to do it, do not panic. There are companies who specialise in SEO to help you out. Spend the money and have your website optimised. It is worth the investment!

5)      So what about my Facebook and Twitter accounts?

Social media sites are a great way to reach a broader public, so use it to your advantage. If you have posted an interesting article on your business website, share it with people on your social media accounts. People will repost and share your article if they find it interesting and useful. Make sure that the names of your social media accounts are consistent with your business or website names. Social media adds great value to your business website as it presents people with a human element, making your company more than just another cold and heartless business.