If your business does not have a website, or your business existing website needs a face lift, then this article is for you.

Do I need a website?

There was a time when the internet was just starting out and everyone relied on advertising in newspapers, radio and TV to increase brand awareness for their business. Although, this style of advertising still has merit in today's world, tech savvy users also rely on digital mediums to find products, services and businesses. So what does this mean for your business? Well, essentially it means that you should at least have a website that identifies with what products and services you offer to consumers and you should also have a digital marketing strategy to inform your target market that you exist. These two things are often overlooked or thought not to be essential when having a business.

There are many challenges that exist for all business. Gaining and retaining customers is one of them. Often a business' growth can remain stagnant if a marketing strategy isn't in place. One aspect of a marketing strategy is to create brand awareness, so your target market knows of your existence and what you offer. Consumers often expect that a business has a website that they can visit and read about their offerings. Your company might be operating alright without a website because your business offers a local market a service or product that is in high demand. For example a local seafood shop. However, for a business that operates in a market where demand is high and also competition is high, they will have to look at ways of increasing their brand awareness as well as building upon the one they already have.

A business website does not have to be complicated or sophisticated. It can start off as a simple single page website that acts as a landing page for your clients, highlighting the products and services you offer, your opening times and how to contact you. The website that you need really depends on where your current business is, what industry you are operating in and what your current marketing strategy is and budget. We always suggest when you create a website, make sure you understand some of the reasons for having one:

• Consumers expect one
• It's equivalent to a business card
• Peoples perceptions of your business can be influenced by your website
• Your competitors all have websites
• Your business will show up in search engines (e.g. Google, Bing)
• People can share the link to your website via social media

98% of Business in South Australia is small

South Australia is an interesting market. According to the ABS statistics, in 2018 there were more than 143,000 small business in South Australia (employing fewer than 20 people), which is 98% of all business in Adelaide and South Australia. This indicates that supply for products and services is high (e.g. high competition), and consumers have lots of options to choose from.

So what should you do?

If you don't have a website, or your current one is a little out dated, then this might be loosing you leads and customer conversions. e.g. loosing you sales and revenue. What we recommend to all business, whether you are small, just starting up or well established is:

• Get a website created or update your existing one: Whether it is with us or another web development company, it is paramount that you have an online presence. It is also paramount that the website is mobile friendly. Most people in today's world use their mobile devices as their primary method of accessing online content. If the website doesn't load well for mobile devices, then this is the first hurdle you are imposing on your potential customers.
• Create a marketing plan: Understand how you want to build a brand and also how you will get more customers
• Understand your target market: Not everyone is a potential customer, however, understanding whom you are wanting to target is essential.

Conclusion

By not having a website isn't the end of the world for your business if you are generating sufficient revenue and have a stable consumer base. However, especially in South Australia, there is an abundant of choice for consumers and brand loyalty for small business can change very quickly. It is recommended to have one, some business survive without one, but consumers often have high expectations of business and their perception of a business can be influenced by the shear lack of the business not having a website. Having a website is the first recommendation, but also having a good marketing strategy to let consumers know of the existence of your website is another the other recommendation. You may have the best website in the world, but if not one can find it, then its not going to add any value to your business at all.

For more information about web design & development, read about our services here