Many small businesses still feel that they don’t need a website. In this technological age that is simply not true. Any business without a website will seem like they have ceased trading. There are many myths surrounding websites and small businesses which can cause many to place the idea squarely in the ‘too hard’ basket. We’d like the chance to look at a few of the more prevalent and cast some light on them.
1. A website will cost tens of thousands of dollars to create – Not true. Yes the price to create a website will be determined by factors such as the number of pages it contains and the types of things you want included such as secure shopping and videos, but usually the price is very reasonable and if you consider that a website is an asset (like a phone or a piece of equipment) to your business then the cost is minimal. There is no reason that a website should cost anywhere in the vicinity of tens of thousands of dollars – more like thousands and is an investment in the longevity of your business.
2. My competition doesn’t have one so why should I? – For that exact reason. With search engine becoming more and more geared towards localisation it’s imprerative that if you rely on local business that your customers can find you. Even if a potential customers is looking for your competition – if they can’t find them but can find you – your business is more likely to get the sale.
3. I don’t have the staff to upkeep and update the website – Not many small businesses do. Having a current staff member with the ability to build and maintain a website would be very lucky indeed. To hire someone to specifically do this job is expensive and quite frankly this isn’t a full time gig. Outsource this function and you get the best of both worlds. Specialist website creation and maintenance without the steep costs of an employee.
4. I don’t have lots of frequently updated content to put on a website – You don’t need to be updating or adding content on a daily basis. In order to stay fresh and increase the likelihood of staying top of the search results it is recommended that you submit content on a regular basis. One informative article per month and a blog post per week should be enough to have you on your way. Writing not your strong point – there are people out there that specialise in article and blog writing and will conduct all the relevant research so that your content is correct, relevant and fresh.
5. SEO stuff is too confusing and hard to figure out – Agreed it can be confusing – keywords, meta tags, meta data, but remember there are people able to help you with this. As a small business owner you are not expected to know the ins and outs of Search Engine Optimisation. Again there are specialists who thrive on SEO and can easily work it to your advantage.
6. I don’t sell online – Even if you don’t sell directly online you are still ‘selling’ your product or service on the internet. The internet is where most people today gather information about and make their purchase decisions even if they don’t actually conduct the final purchase transaction over a website. If your product or service can’t be found on the internet then you won’t even be taken into consideration.
While having your own website may seem time consuming, expensive and overwhelming – it doesn’t need to be that way. An agency such as Website Design Centre can help with all aspects of website creation and maintenance including SEO work, content and even social media functions. WDC offers specialists in their field, working for you without the full time employee costs and headaches.
