Websites are Essential for a Business, Organization, or Even a Personal Vision Today
In the emerging paradigm today, the flow of information for making decisions is very fast and very dense. We are becoming more and more dependent upon social networks, blogs, and websites. Yet when I look at the market statistics, I see small businesses very often fail to take advantage of this.
- One source says 46% of the small businesses today don’t even have a website(1).
- Another source says more than 50 percent of small U.S. businesses (those with fewer than 200 employees) do not have web sites (2).
- Chris Brogan, Human Business Works President, says his research shows 60% of U.S. businesses are not online in any fashion(3).
Here is what a website can do for you:
- Helps other people find you. People use the Internet to find stores, organizations, and people now. If you aren’t there, they can’t find you.
- You can reach a much larger local and global audience.
- Saves you time by answering those off-repeated questions people ask. In launching a website for a PAC, we used a website to store all those news articles and related information. We could often refer a newspaper reporter directly to the website, which was dynamically following everything.
- Targets your audience better (your market niche). This is where the Internet really shines.
- Take control of your website layout, content, and search engine optimization. (With social networking sites, someone else owns the site and the rules.)
- Network ideas with clients and members and create synergy.
- Better objectifies your web presence.
- Gets strong analytics on your traffic.
- Differentiates yourself from your competitors.
- You are accessible 24/7, even when you are on that beach in Mexico.
- Saves on advertising with your affordable website.
- Brands your company
- Establishes your credibility and authority.
Most small businesses still live in the Dark Ages and expect to survive. They won’t. The speed of change has become so fast that the electronic and immediate flow for information for decisions is almost a necessity. That’s the paradigm today – and it’s moving fast. The web site is essential not only just for selling stuff – it is essential for branding and selling your company, or organization as an authority, for support, and marketing.
So the bottom line today is that even if you have only a small business, an organization, or even a personal vision you should have a website. An effective website. Period. No question about it. Without a doubt. The website should also be professionally done if you wish people to take your message seriously.
Also (citing Chris Brogan) the website not only must be professional in appearance and content, but also it must be optimized for the search engines. A page on Facebook or a commodity blog won’t do it. A page on Facebook is like calling a hotel room home. Sure, you need the social networks; but you also need that website to send ‘em to when they get serious.
Last year, with a recession killing small businesses, most small businesses found the professional website was out of there budget. We were doing websites for small businesses starting at $4000 – $5000 for a professional website – too much for the small business. Carl went to work to find a solution.
With our new Econoweb program, Carl found a way to create affordable and professional websites for clients for less than $2000. That includes hosting (one year, renewable), domain name, and the development. Development time can be as little as 1-2 weeks, depending on our work load. What’s more, the website is dynamic. That means you can update the content or layout yourself without knowing anything about programming. We set up the initial content and layout for you based on the material you give us. You take it from there. If you don’t have the two grand but do have a little web experience, we can show you how to do it yourself for much less.
Econoweb gives you a website with a very professional look, a beautiful layout that is easy to read, and high-quality search engine optimization. You can focus on creating your content and layout, not the programming. You have a dynamic website that changes with your needs.
The question is not “Can I afford a Web Site”, but rather “Can I afford not to have a Web Site?”
1. http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1007431
2. Gary Schneider, Electronic Commerce, 9th edition, 2011. p.14
3. http://smartblogs.com/leadership/2011/05/16/chris-brogan-on-why-every-business-needs-a-website