I’ve been dealing with small businesses and their websites for years now, and a common theme keeps popping up – their web presence ranges from poor to mediocre, and they are always wondering why. What they often fail to realize is that they put little to no effort into their internet marketing.
I think the reason for this is a fundamental lack of understanding of what websites can do for a small business. It is without a doubt the best asset a mom-and-pop or a start-up has, and yet they treat sites like a Yellow Page ad or an online brochure.
The best way of reconceptualizing your site is to think of it like your virtual storefront. I know of businesses which hire landscapers, interior designers, and branding agencies to beautify their bricks-and-mortar site, but will flinch at the idea of paying more than $500 on their business’s webpage.
In light of this, I came across a great list for why websites fail on Web Dev News. Any small businessperson looking to grow their business online should take this list to heart. A quick sample:
Whats the problem with this picture: You build a state of the art sports arena, its beautiful, has many sought out commodities and was built in Antarctica. You may ask, “What’s the point of a sports arena if you aren’t going to have anyone use it?” A silly scenario, but a common pitfall for many websites out on the Internet, because they have a professionally made website with no budget for marketing. When budgeting out your website, make sure to appropriate sufficient funds to attract an audience to it. Use the following flexible rule of thumb for a website budget: a quarter of your budget for design and branding, a quarter for development, a quarter for public relations and SEO, and a quarter for advertising.
Indeed.
