Bill Gates once said: "If your business is not on the Internet, then you are not in the business." This is a very popular quote in the world of SEO-experts and Internet marketers, which many often mention when an entrepreneur asks the question: “Why do we need websites?”
Perhaps some time ago such a question was not relevant, since people did not have free access to the Internet. E-commerce began to develop actively in 2005-2010, so by 2019, almost any business has its own platform in the network.
Website
Not surprisingly, the creator of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, worked on the first site, it was he who first showed the world a web page. In 1991, he published on the website a description of WWW technology itself and the terms that are associated with it. At the same time, he described the principles of installation and operation of servers, and then introduced the first browser.
The first site was a directory that was used at one of the universities. Together with him came such concepts as hypertext and hyperlinks. Thanks to them, they managed to further develop in this direction. But then few understood why websites were needed.
Diversity
Almost 30 years have passed since the creation of the first site. During this time, the World Wide Web has expanded hundreds and thousands of times, and millions of new pages have been added to the catalogs. At first, people used the Internet to learn and get new information.
Of course, now the situation has not changed much, but it is worth recognizing that the information segment was supplemented with new types of sites. So, entertainment pages, commercial and web resources joined various encyclopedias and catalogs.
But now you can definitely answer why websites are needed. Since we managed to monetize all the information that goes on the Internet, the role of web pages has been rethought, and therefore began to work in a different direction.
Types of sites
It’s worth saying right away that a lot depends on the subject of the site. For example, information resources are often created for educational purposes. But commercial ones, as a rule, are aimed at increasing sales and brand formation.
If you do not understand why you need a site, first think about what type it will be. Business owners can work immediately on:
- business card site;
- corporate;
- representative;
- product catalog;
- online store;
- quest site;
- promosite.
Of course, an unambiguous classification does not exist, and a catalog can be added to a business card site. Nevertheless, these are exactly the resources that are used in e-commerce.
Causes
When you decide on the type of site that you will create, you can determine for yourself the key points in the project. Sometimes this scheme is used the other way around, describing why you need to create a site, and only on the basis of the answers can you decide on the type of resource.
What could be the reasons for creating an online service? Here it is worth considering several options at once:
- brand building;
- virtual office;
- starting promotion;
- business tool;
- medium of information;
- effective way of advertising;
- structuring work;
- interaction with customers.
Of course, some reasons may arise after you create the resource, and perhaps you will understand why the company’s website is needed, several months after its launch.
Brand building
If you return to the words of Bill Gates, then the formation of the brand should be the key reason for you. If you have a business for a long time, then you represent all competitors in your field. In the era of the Internet, it is not easy to maintain a leading position in the sale of services or goods, since everyone uses their methods to promote.
A site is one of the key ways to tell about yourself or to remind. Yes, and it has already happened in society that if a visitor does not find a company’s website, its image drops sharply. But do not hope that the resource made by the “left foot” will immediately raise you in the eyes of a potential client. Modern society is quite picky about the non-modern site design.
Virtual office
Not every company can immediately acquire its own office, register a legal address and telephone number. Many startups start with a virtual office, which is based "somewhere" on the Internet, or rather, on the site.
Thanks to this resource, you can solve problems with business cards. It is enough to indicate the contact information, working hours, detailed description of services or goods, etc. on the web pages. You can also place certificates or any other documents on the site that confirm the quality and honesty of your business.
Starting promotion
Why do I need a website? Many begin to develop their business on the Internet, and only after they go to a physical address. Such a resource can easily help you find your customers and expand your field of activity.
In this case, the site will look like a business card showing all your advantages over competitors, as well as all contact information.
Business tool
Few people know, but the site is effective not only in promoting the company. It is very easy to control and develop a business with him. But for this it is important that the resource is extremely convenient both for you and for your customers, otherwise you cannot call it an effective tool.
To do this, it is important to place all the working information on the site, which will be useful not only to customers, but also to partners, suppliers, advertisers, etc. It will be good if the programmer writes you a convenient database from which you can download all the necessary information about customers.
Depending on the direction of your resource, it will be necessary to carefully consider the necessary tools that would help customers sort data or look for the necessary information.
Media tool
Now information sites are not the best way to make money on the Internet, but if useful data is indicated on a commercial resource, it works much better.
If you decide to create a corporate website on which all information about your business will be stored, then do not be too lazy to develop a page with information about services or a product.
For example, you are engaged in logistics. In addition to listing all the services that you provide, you can describe them by providing more extensive information. If you connect a professional copywriter who will work with SEO to create the text, thanks to such texts you can advance on various requests on the Internet.
Effective advertising
Agree that your own resource is a great advertisement. And if you do not know why you need the official website of the company, then the first thing that comes to mind is promotion.
According to statistics, a third of potential customers come to the company through its resource. If earlier it was necessary to trumpet the media that you had opened somewhere, then now it has become much easier.
As a rule, the site manages to pay off after only a couple of months of its launch. But here, of course, there are many nuances that can scare an inexperienced businessman. For example, in order for the site to really work, it is important to do it right, observing all the tricks of SEO, otherwise it is unlikely to increase sales.
Structuring work
Why do you need a store website? In this case, everything is too obvious. Thanks to the correct and competent resource, the buyer will be able to independently find the product, its characteristics, cost and much more. At the same time, he will also be able to order it on his own, without the help of consultants. Previously, any customer called the store or went on his own to buy.
Obviously, the store’s website saves resources and time for the client and your company. If you are well acquainted with your target audience, then you know that for them it is a priority, and accordingly, you will offer them everything that they want. The fewer questions a client has, the better you work.
Interaction
Why do I need a website for business? At least so that you have the opportunity to collect feedback and work on bugs. Probably, there is not a single company that would satisfy absolutely every client. One way or another, there will be at least one dissatisfied who will complain and yank all employees.
In order not to spend a lot of time on such cases, it is better to create a section on the site with reviews where everyone could express their dissatisfaction or leave an offer. Of course, you will come across a couple of unfair responses that were left simply by ill-educated people, but often the site statistics will give you a real picture of the success of the company.
No less important will be the work with resource analytics. When creating a site, you need to connect the code of one of the relevant services, for example, Google Analytics, to it and then hire a specialist who understands all the data and can point you to the shortcomings and advantages of your work.
We are all on the internet
It is hard to deny that now everyone lives on the Internet. Yes, we leave the house, flipping a news line on a smartphone in a minibus, we come to work, including a PC, again getting on the Internet. Some of us spend less time in it, someone more, but somehow our life is now closely connected with the World Wide Web.
To be constantly on the trend, you have to strive for the Network, communicate with people there and find ways to attract customers. There is already enormous competition here, regardless of the field of activity, but it is still possible to achieve greater success with quality work than those who usually wave their hands to work with the site.