Why have a web site?

“Why have a web site?” That seems like a silly question to ask a “web site guy”. You’re probably expecting something like “You just do” or “Everyone has one”. But I’m a practical guy. I own my own small business. I know that checkbook only pops open when it’s necessary. So here’s my take on a web site and why you need one.

And what about those of you that “have a web site”? I recommend reading along to make sure you’re web site handles all of the points I lay out below.

First off, this is the information age. People rarely go to things like the Yellow Pages any more. People go online. They search using Google or Bing. If you don’t have a web site, you can’t be found. And if you’re in a competitive market, you need an even better web site in order to be found or have a shot at getting business away from your competitors.

But what about those that have a physical location and don’t sell anything that can be shipped or purchased online? A good web site is still necessary. People these days don’t remember directions. They look up a web site with the address (often on a phone) and get a Google Map/GPS to direct them to that address. I know when I need to call somewhere or find out the hours for a store, I head online. And if I have a choice between a web site with easy to find information and no web site or a bad one, I go for the easy one and that company gets my business.

Word of mouth is definitely still the best form of promotion, but that is also changing. People research products only and are constantly sharing information and recommendations online services via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn (to name just the tip of the iceberg). Those that are reading these recommendations will then click or search to find your business and figure out what their friends are talking about. If you have no web site, you basically don’t exist. If you have a bad web site (ugly, hard to read or navigate, too much/little content), then they will probably move on without much more thought. You have to make it easy for people to find out about your business, and one of the best ways to do that is by having a web site that is user friendly and gives sufficient information.

If someone were really going to use the internet to increase their sales, they’d have a full online marketing strategy, of which the web site would be the central hub. These can take a lot of money and time, so I’m not saying that’s for everyone. Even my business, which specializes in web sites, primarily gets business from word of mouth recommendations, and I plan to keep it that way. What I’m trying to say is that every business should have a decent web site that people can go to in order to get the information they need to decide to purchase your products or sign up for your services. Without that you can be assured that potential customers are passing you by.

And if my few words here haven’t persuaded you, check out this amazing YouTube video from a web site company in Australia: