Your website is a waste of money!

[ChrisP]

I know this is an old thread, but it is a very interesting one. I would agree that most small businesses over-estimate the marketing effect of their websites. It can still be worth it to have a website as a type of "online brochure" but to expect it to attract new clients without considerable time and resources invested in it is naive. Take the keyword accountants: Google SA returns 117 000 sites. Of those sites 99% of people wont go past the first 10.

We have a lot of accountants registered on our website Find an Accountant and a lot of them get great leads from it. So they rush off and build their own websites, sometimes even cancelling their listing with us, only to return in a few months with zero action on their own sites. And those that do have websites often report that the majority of their website's traffic comes from Find an Accountant.

Marketing a website to atttract new customers is a fulltime and expensive job.

[tec0]

Within in reason a lot of people will agree with you.

However, my view is that a Website must:

>> Contain a company profile.
>> Contain contact information.
>> Allow Customers to preview information.

Problems that you’re Website will face:

>> Search engines & cost.
>> Hosting Cost, Website Maintenance Cost and Quality of host service.
>> Additional Advertisement Cost.

The truth: A website exists to give information. You still need good reference, quality service and proper advertisement “if applicable� your website’s only job is to allow for easy access.

That to me is case and point.

[derekjay]

I think the mistake that so many small businesses make when designing their website is to think that its supposed to be an "online brochure". Yes, you need to have informative content on your site, but the key question must be asked:

What is the main purpose of the site?

- Is it to create sales leads?
- Is it to sell products directly?
- Is it to generate brand awareness?

Whatever you decide, that needs to remain the focus throughout the design process. Dont create an excessively informational online brochure if your main goal is to capture leads. That kind of thing.

Basic marketing rules need to be kept in mind when designing (or conceptualizing) your website - or else it certainly is just going to be a waste of money. This is exactly the same as investing in any marketing medium.

[orpaspar]

Interesting thread. Yep, unfortunately, due to a lack of education/understanding, many businesses out there (especially the small, one-man shows) think that "if you build it, they will come". So they spend a few grand on a site and a domain name and hosting and up goes their three-page brochure site. They check Google and can't find it and their contact us form gets used so seldom that cobwebs start forming in the corners. So they curse the pimply-faced web designer who built it and declare that it's all a waste of time and money. Sure, they may get googled by name and the googler may be able to see the details of what they offer and think that at least they are professional enough to have a website and are therefore worth a phone call. But it really does nothing for them.

Part of the lack of understanding about website ownership is that a website is not a magical sales attraction device that works by casting spells on people using the Interweb. It's actually just a tool and it all depends on how well it is designed and used as to how effective it is. A website without the facilities to be found (SEO), attract attention (constantly added useful information and offers), capture details (forms) and follow up (newsletters and reminders) is like a pile of brochures sitting in the corner of your office - pretty much useless. Websites can be amazingly successful vehicles for promoting businesses if they are properly equipped, promoted and run. Unfortunately this takes hard work and/or money ... and some savvy, savvy?

Well, that's my ten billion Zim dollars' worth, anyway.

[Webmaster]

Hi there

I was browsing through and found this article. What is said is very true, most websites do cost allot of money and don't bring in any traffic. In any business including an internet based one you need to invest money to make money,

However If you’re looking in the right places there are many sites that offer services for free or at a very low cost simply because they aim at attracting larger groups of people either to advertise via their own website or have an automated system which they are playing the number game with.
(lowest price = more customers, more customers = bigger income)

I have noticed a handful of online marketing companies that do this and once I get rolling I'll write a few articles of my own ONCE I've fully checked them out.

My business is also based with online web hosting and design services and because if the exact issue explained in this opening post. I have constructed my business around trying to offer the marketing secrets design companies never research.

Hosting is a big deal too. If you have a decent host that offers all the right features for marketing your website and applications to make your backend easier to operate like CMS's and ad management software.



Regards

The Webmaster

[Dave A]

(lowest price = more customers, more customers = bigger income)

Now there's a myth that needs to be busted

But maybe in another thread one day.

[Webmaster]

Yip it seems so, just allot more to it though than that :P

I have noticed people seem to think that the more something costs the better the service? Thats another myth. Guess these things is a good idea for a post

Webmaster

[Dave A]

I have noticed people seem to think that the more something costs the better the service? Thats another myth.

Maybe not always true, but it does increase the potential of getting better service

Certainly far more likely than assuming being the cheapest means you'll get the biggest turnover.

[takingyouforward]

Owning a website for your business is not useless, you can benefit from your website. Internet Technology is the trend in the WORLD. People will search in the computer over the internet to find the products/services/ or anything. Let's say the customer nearby at the market and can't find any product on what he's looking for. He will find the company through the internet and purchase a product and get a delivery to his home. For the business owner, if you have a website make sure you have a good SEO Specialist to market your website or to increase your website ranking in the search engine and increase the website traffic. if your website is listed in the top, you will have more visitors or customers to buy in your store instead of going to your office to buy a product.

[IanF]

For the business owner, if you have a website make sure you have a good SEO Specialist to market your website or to increase your website ranking in the search engine and increase the website traffic. if your website is listed in the top, you will have more visitors or customers to buy in your store instead of going to your office to buy a product.

Welcome takingyouforward, I had to google where Mandaue City is. Philipines that shows how small the global village is. My own thoughts are get your website working first before you worry about SEO. I see many websites where there is no call to action, or it is convoluted to find out a price or info on a product.