Why a Website is Essential For New Businesses | The Work at Home ...

By Sam Fisher,

So you?ve started your new company and are now wondering, ?Is it a good idea to get a website?? A website can be a costly investment but the benefits of having one can easily outweigh the costs involved. The benefits of having a website are numerous and even if you aren?t planning to sell online a website can be a real asset to your business. Below are just a few ways that a website can help fledgling companies.

Attract New Customers

Websites are a great way to attract new customers at a relatively low cost. Having a well optimized quality website will quickly make you visible through Google and other search engines. This can be important as many Internet users conduct most of their browsing through the use of search engines.?

To make a website successful?as a small company with limited resources you have to play smart. What you need to do is make sure you aren?t trying to compete in a crowded market. Instead, exploit your niche and target the local area you operate in. Make it easy for your customers to find you by getting listed on Google maps (it?s free and fast) and other quality listings such as Yell and local business directories. ?You can also boost your local search rankings by making sure you have your local area mentioned on your website.

Once you are visible on Google people will come to your site to find out about your business, this is where having a quality website is essential to convert visitors into customers. A website needs to be quality rather than quantity to convert visitors into customers. Don?t have too much useless information clogging up your site. Most small businesses could have as few as 5 pages: Home Page, About Us, Contact, Products and Site Map. You would obviously need more if you were selling online or had a lot of product information to give customers.

Showcase Your Work

Another great way a website can help your new business is by providing you with a medium to showcase your work in an online portfolio. This could be anything from pictures of the products you are selling to customer recommendations. The type of information displayed will vary depending on the type of business you are running. For example, a building firm could show some of their previous extensions they have built on their website or an artist could showcase the paintings they have for sale at that moment.

Having a portfolio on your website allows people to see what your company offers. The advantage of having an online portfolio is that the potential customers can look through in their own time whenever they want, rather than having to organize time consuming meetings with you. This can help generate more customers as it takes a lot less commitment on their end to visit your website. A website portfolio also allows your customers to find out information such as what you offer and prices without wasting your valuable time with telephone inquires.

Look More Professional

Having a website also adds an extra level of perceived professionalism. Many people expect companies to have a website and so not having one can make you appear somewhat unprofessional and less legitimate. Having a website can reassure people that you are a quality company to work with who has invested well in their company image and online infrastructure.

Another way a website can make you look more professional is through custom domain emails. Owning a website will mean you can have access to email accounts on that domain. For example, owning?http://www.theworkathomewoman.com/ will mean you can have any email ending in?? @theworkathomewoman.com/. Having a custom email looks more professional than a standard email such as Hotmail, Google etc.

Conclusion

As you can see, having a web present can provide your business with many advantages. What is also worth noting is that a website doesn?t have to cost a fortune. There are several alternatives to hiring a web designer such as website templates and interactive website builders. These services often come with hosting and other useful features all in one package, reducing the time and effort involved.? To conclude, I think there are very few industries that wouldn?t benefit from having a website of some kind. Good luck for the future and with your new businesses.

This was a guest post by Sam Fisher a former website builder with a keen interest in helping new businesses achieve their potential through an online presence.

?

You may also enjoy...

1. Paying the Right Price for Your Small Business Website
2. 7 Ways to Make Your Website Fun to Shop and Browse Through
3. Are Mobile Apps the ?Next Big Thing? for Small Businesses?

Tags: Business, Customers, Entrepreneur, Google, Internet, Marketing & PR, Sam Fisher, Tech, Technology, The Work at Home Woman, Website, Website Design

Source: http://www.theworkathomewoman.com/why-a-website-is-essential-for-new-businesses/

one world trade center bks new dark knight rises trailer khloe and lamar oklahoma city thunder rajon rondo sunoco