Do You Really Need A Website?

Australian consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable buying their goods online. This has created a wave of controversy recently with prominent business owner Gerry Harvey petitioning the Government to start charging GST on all products purchased online from overseas.

In fact, we are witnessing a major shift in Australian buyer behaviour from in-store browsing to savvy online bargain hunters.

You need to recognize that the market is changing and competitors are no longer just in your local area. The strong Australian dollar has also made purchasing from overseas sources more attractive, while the rapid uptake of smart phone technology is increasing the volume of search traffic to providers of goods and services with websites. Consumers now use their smart phones to search for suppliers, compare the best deals and organise home delivery because it’s simpler and more convenient.

Despite these trends, Australian businesses are lagging behind. Research by the MYOB Business Monitor found 65 percent of Australian businesses don’t have a website. The findings also revealed that businesses established for more than 10 years are less likely to have a website (25%) than maturing (32%) or new (36%) businesses.

This prompts the question, “Is building a website really worth the time and money?”

According to the research findings, the short answer is absolutely!
30% of businesses with a website reported their revenue had increased in the past 12 months, compared with 23% of businesses without a website. Nearly half (44%) of businesses surveyed agree that they would sell more and get more work if they used the internet better for marketing.

The business types least likely to have a website include:

• Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing (19%)
• Construction and Trades (23%)

The business types most likely to have a website include:

• Manufacturing and Wholesale (49%)
• Finance and Insurance (45%)
• Retail and Hospitality (45%)
• Business, Professional and Property (37%)

Your business needs a web presence so your customers, clients, prospects, potential employees and even investors can readily access information about your business and the products and services you offer. If you are going to take this leap of faith it must look good and contain quality content that ‘talks’ to your target markets. First impressions count and a well designed site can project the image and professionalism of a much larger business.    The inverse is also true with large businesses often producing a poor website.

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to build a website to boost your bottom line.