Regardless of your business’s industry or size, chances are it will benefit from having a website. Businesses of all shapes and sizes are now using the Internet to promote their respective brands and generate more sales. But there’s a lot of misinformation surrounding small business websites, some of which we’re going to discuss in today’s blog post.
I Only Need a Website if I Sell Products Online
Even if you have no plans to sell products online, launching a website is still a good idea. Just ask yourself: when was the last time that you used a phone book to find a business’s address? With the advent of the Internet, few people use phone books for this reason. Instead, they’ll search for the business’s contact information online. Without a website, though, potential customers may not be able to find your establish, resulting in lost sales.
I Don’t Need to Promote My Website
While there’s no rule stating that you must promote your website, doing so will prove beneficial for several different reasons. By actively promoting your site, you’ll attract more visitors while encouraging higher search rankings in the process. And when more people visit your site, it will naturally become more popular.
Here are some simple and effective ways to promote your business website:
- Comment on relevant blogs.
- Use pay-per-click (PPC) marketing services like Google Adwords and Bing Ads.
- Post links on social media networking sites.
- Engage in Q&A discussions.
- Submit press releases to distribution networks.
- Allow “guest bloggers” to write and submit content.
My Business Website Doesn’t Need Content
This statement couldn’t be further from the truth. Google has said that high-quality content is the “single most important thing” on a website. When Google makes a bold statement such as this, it’s best to heed its advice by focusing your efforts on content creation. Consider your target audience and what they are hoping to see upon visiting your website. Your goal should be to match visitors’ expectations with your site’s content, presenting it in the most professional and authoritative manner possible.
A ‘Free’ Website Works Just as Good as a Premium Website
The old adage, you get what you pay for, tends to hold true in the realm of small business websites. Sure, it’s probably easier to choose a free website or template/theme, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best option. Many of these so-called free sites and templates have been distributed thousands or even tens of thousands of times, meaning your website will look generic and unprofessional. Furthermore, some of them are riddled with advertisements and malicious code. If you are serious about creating a strong presence on the web, invest in a premium website and design that reflects your business’s brand identity.
