Is A Free WordPress Website Still Valuable?
The world is a technological place, it seems every day more and more is done over the internet. This both adds opportunity and competition for small businesses, on one hand, you may be buried in the options or you will be found by more people by having an online presence. Part of it is a gamble basing off of what your business if offering, but there are plenty of reasons to strive into the unknown and create your first business website.
There is no reason to shell out hundreds of dollars for an expensive starter site with a fantastic program such as WordPress out there. Yes, it will still cost money for hosting, but Managed WordPress will assist you in becoming a successful site. In this article, we will be discussing some of the benefits of having a website.
Building A Name
There have been plenty of studies done in the past stating that a business gains credibility when it has its own domain. Websites have endless potential especially if you choose the perfect theme to match the style of your business.
Even if you do not plan on selling on your website there are other ways you can improve your business. Credibility which is already boosted by creating the domain can be pushed up further by the About Us page! Take your time with this section as people are going to come up with an opinion on your business basing on what you write here.
If you are worried about it there are writers out there that can assist you or you can do some research and write a great About Us yourself! Another benefit not related to product sales can simply be to gather more in location customers.
This can easily be done by listing things such as store hours and locations on the home page easy for people to spot. So when someone looks for say a ‘bakery near me’ your great local shop will pop right up and you will have gotten a new customer.
This can also be used as a valuable resource to seek out qualified employees through online resume submissions or to promote you’re hiring so people come in and apply. You will get plenty more people applying to your openings with online information and submission on the position giving you more to choose from to find the perfect employee!
Benefits Of An Online Reputation
One important thing to consider is many people out there, your customers, have the world at their fingertips. Having a site that can be used on a mobile interface is beyond important, it is a huge turnoff to your company to try and navigate a desktop website on a phone.
Nearly everyone has a smartphone: businesses offer company phones, children get their own, most adults have one. All of these people could be a valuable resource as long as you make it easy for them. We shop on our phones and search answers to questions all day long, we all collectively love the convenience.
So having a site that is mobile friendly, easy to navigate, and simple to purchase from is the key to bringing back repeat customers. Plus, unlike a traditional store that needs to work in between business hours your online site is available at any hour of the day. You can also open an avenue of customer communication with a Contact Us area and a FAQ page.
More Than Just a Website
Having a website is a fantastic way to increase credibility and business, but that isn’t always enough in such a competitive and astronomically large market. It is always a good idea to pair your website with other promotional options such as: social media, blog posting, and email marketing.
By using social media you will, of course, increase the number of people who know your company. There are plenty of different social media platforms to look into such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest. Each of these has a different approach you can use to broadcast your business.
Blog posting can do a lot of good both through using SEO keywords and also by informing your customers about your business and what you have to offer. SEO (search engine optimization) is a great option to increase your noticeability when being searched. More information is always better than too little when it comes to answering customer questions.
Depending on what type of business you are as a WordPress beginner will affect if email marketing is something that could work for you. There are several ways to do this, you can directly reach out to customers via email with sales pitches or you could begin a monthly newsletter for them to subscribe to, amongst other options.
With a little effort and some creativity, you’re only a few steps away from having a flourishing online based network!