Is Your Small Business Website Profitable?

How effective is your small business website or electronic business card? The fourth annual small business Internet survey by Verizon Superpages.com conducted by the GallUp Organization found that 55% of small business websites covered web costs or were profitable in 2002, and that number will only keep rising. Over 41% of small businesses saw an increase in sales revenue with a website. If your small business website is not as productive as you would like consider these pointers.

Having a website is as vital as a business card, it is often a first impression or introduction of your business. So it is immensly important to put your best foot forward. 

What does your website say about you and your business?

You should be able to answer yes to all of the above questions. Nowadays, most people have Internet access, and are using the web more as a research tool to obtain information from everything about travel to local restaurants and major purchases.

Having an effective website is a cost-effective and easy way to advertise your business. Once it is built, the maintenance should be relatively easy and inexpensive.

Active or Passive Audience

The difference between using a website as opposed to other methods of advertising is the difference between having an active or passive audience. People hitting your website are an active audience, and are curious as to what you have to offer. Print ads, telemarketers, or mass mailings are geared towards a passive audience. An active audience is seeking information, which your site can provide and win them over. The beauty of the web is that you can advertise your website by using the other passive methods of advertising.

On the flip side, how often have you visited a website that took too long to load, had a lot of flash and fluff but no substance, was out of date, or looked like the boy next door created it after his homework? Your business and your image are too important to place in jeopardy. If a person is trying to learn more about what you have to offer, and sees a website that is less than desirable, chances are you lost that business and they will not return. The web can be the easiest way to pick up new business and you should use it to your advantage.

Some establishments practiced business the same way for many years and are having difficulty becoming web savvy. They are realizing that the economy has impacted their business. The best advice is to look at your competition, most successful companies and businesses, and your neighbor.

It is not a coincidence that more and more people are doing business on the web. Maybe it is time to reach out to a web developer and educate yourself on how the web can work for you.

Content for this feature article was provided by Donna M. McGuire

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