It’s all very well that you have your own website.
But honestly?
It means nothing if you don’t update the content.
Many small business owners fall into the trap of neglecting their online presence. They design a website, write some content and forget all about it. Unfortunately they don’t realise they are damaging their own business — and possibly stunting its growth.
So why is keeping on top of your website content so important?
Out of date and out of the competition
As your business matures it gains more credibility. You can provide client testimonials, facts and figures to support your mission statements. Every small success within your business should be communicated on your website and each fact and figure should be reviewed frequently to ensure they are up to date.
The cost?
If you fail to publicise the good stuff nobody will know about it. And if a potential customer visits your website and isn’t impressed with what they find, they will probably look at a competitor’s site instead. You just lost yourself a client.
You want busy traffic
So you haven’t updated your website in a while? You’ve been far too busy to do such a task and after all it doesn’t matter that much anyway, I mean the website is still there right?
The cost?
Not only do potential clients dismiss you, Google will too. Search engines presume that websites with no freshly added content are not as relevant to those surfing the net, meaning that your company will appear much lower down on the search results. By simply adding a weekly blog, you can ensure that your potential customers can actually find you. If you don’t? No one will know your website actually exists.
Keep it clean
It a well-known fact that most people visiting a website don’t read the content word for word. They like to skim. People want the facts and they want them quickly. The most effective business websites are easy to navigate and they are logical. They allow the potential customer to lift the information that they are interested in, whether that be information on pricing, a summary of the company, or contact details.
The cost?
If you don’t keep your website clean and communicate the essential information clearly the reader is likely to get lost on the way. In other words, they’ll give up!
Creative content gets people talking
A website is never a finished project. If you manage your website well, you stand more chance of having your blogs, articles and news stories shared via social media. Do your research. What’s being talked about within your industry? What’s hot off the press? If you take time to really think about how you can incorporate time-relevant topics into your online content, people might just read them. An interesting story has a greater reachability. If your audience like what you have written they will pass it on.
The cost?
If you whack any old thing onto your website not many people will take the time to read it — and they certainly won’t bother sharing it. Shared content is essentially free PR. You just cost yourself the opportunity to elevate your company brand and reputation.
The world is turning digital. More and more businesses are turning their backs on printed company literature in favour of operating purely on the web. In an age where Google has all of the answers, small business owners must ensure that they are not costing themselves opportunities to grow and develop simply by turning their backs on the company website.
Don’t let corny content hold your business back.
When was the last time your reviewed your online presence?
Don’t have the time to keep your web content fresh or write a regular blog? Don’t panic. Get in touch and let us take care of keeping your content updated and your site soaring.
Lauren