Websites - Are They Worth The Cost?
Websites - Are They Worth The Cost?
Yes! Otherwise people and companies would not be spending money - millions in some cases - on websites. This is not a fad or an empty status symbol, it is now an essential requirement for businesses to have websites.
Why?
Think about it. What is the first question you are asked when you are trying to interest someone in your products or services? - "What's your website address?" and shortly after, if you have gained their interest - "What's your e-mail address?" Today, a website address and an e-mail address are just as important as a business card - which should carry both addresses.
But how does a website benefit me?
The same way as an advertisement in the papers - it brings your company and products to the attention of the buying public. You wouldn't consider setting up a business and not advertising it in some way, would you? No matter how good your product or service, you are not going to sell it unless the consumers know about it. A website is a 24x7x365 shop front - people can visit at any time and inspect your wares. It is also very cheap, in comparison to newspaper advertisements, and can be updated much more quickly.
So, if I invest in a website, I can expect orders quickly?
No! Imagine setting up a business on some trading estate. You have the products and can deliver. You put an ad in a newspaper. Do you get orders rolling in instantly? Of course not, unless you have some unique product that is very much in demand. It takes time, and if you think about it carefully, what percentage of people who read that paper are interested in your product? And what percentage of those who are will buy your product in preference to your competitor's? It's a numbers game, and that's where the Internet scores over historically conventional media - your product is visible to a much larger number of people. In fact, the world is your marketplace, but there is still work to do to bring your site to the attention of this huge potential customer base.
So, what do I need to attract customers - Search Engine Promotion?
That's one requirement. But you must remember that the Internet is not a substitute for all other advertising methods - it complements the other methods until your web presence is so well established that you do not need any other form of advertising. Submitting your site to the search engines is not enough.
Why not? If I'm listed on the SEs then I should get some enquiries.
Yes. But listed where? In position 1,111,111 on the SE list? Do you think anyone is likely to scroll through thousands of pages of SE results to find your site? Your site is the latest in their lists, so you take bottom place. And that's where you stay until you start getting "hits" - visits from people looking for your products. And people aren't going to find you until you get up high in the lists. Catch 22!
What? So why should I waste money on a website?
You're not wasting money, you're investing it. Expecting instant results is unrealistic, whether it's from the Internet or from newspaper ads. Look at it this way: the more people who visit your site (hits), the higher you get in the SE rankings, the more visible you are to people, the more visitors you get.... ad infinitum.
Can I speed up the process of getting listed?
Yes, but it will cost you money. A large number of Search Engines now have Express listing schemes - you pay to have your site listed high in the results. There are also pay-per-click (PPC) schemes which send traffic to your site. Take a look at some of the SE websites, but don't rush into anything. If you are serious about getting listed fast, and you have the budget, consider the use of an SEO specialist (Search Engine Optimisation). This will not be cheap. Advertising on other sites and in e-zines will also help and does not have to be expensive.
So what do I have to do to get visitors?
You promote your site using every method you can - SE promotion, your URL and e-mail address on ALL your stationery and e-mails, newspaper ads, press releases, flyers leaflets and brochures, and by using reciprocal links. The last is probably the most effective way of getting listed. Read our Guide to Promotion.
Is there anything else I need?
Yes, patience. Remember that the large corporates take months to launch a product by a series of pre-launch advertisements, and that they have huge marketing budgets. Incorporate your website into your business plans and treat it in the same way as normal marketing. Monitor the results and make on-the-fly changes when necessary, so that your website is never out-of-date or behind your other marketing actions - a website which is out-of-date is a real turn-off: a special offer which expired a month ago, for instance - and will do nothing for your credibility. Give the same importance to your website as you would to launching a newspaper advertising campaign, and ensure that your website always mirrors your latest plans. Remember, websites are complementary to other forms of advertising, not completely separate entities.
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