Technology and the internet are changing the business world. Whereas old advertising techniques, such as newspaper segments, television airtime, or maintaining a strong reputation and customer-base worked in the past, now companies also need a website and strong online presence. For those struggling to keep up, understanding the ways having a website helps your business will put you back above your competitors.
In today’s business world, having a strong online identity is a must. Businesses need to be present online for customers and future partners to find them. It’s important to understand how increasing your online footprint makes for a stronger business reputation. Having a website will improve search rankings and allow people to find your content. Different mediums, such as social media or blog sites, can get your business out to more markets. This will attract more online traffic to your site. This is especially important for dental practices, where having an online presence reflects your practice’s vision and reputation.
Having a website will simply build-up your business. Websites act as information gateways for consumers. Viewers can see how well you’re staying ahead of the competition and how much you’re growing. Websites are tools for sharing your business history, getting clients, and finding future employees. These are not mutually exclusive, either. You are likely to find both new clients and future employees who align with your business history.
Another strong perk to having a website is that it will strengthen your market relationships. Websites allow you to reach out to new customers, find future business partners, and keep up with competitors. One way to do this is through a “Blog” section. Here you can share your thoughts and ideas or any changes within the industry. Embedding surveys or comment sections on this blog allows you to engage with customers. You can also use a ratio for usable content to educational content. One suggested ratio is 80:20, where 80% of content should be usable by your audience, while 20% should educate them about your business or industry. One final way to communicate with customers is including a “Contact Us” or “Chat” feature. “Contact Us” allows customers to ask questions to be answered later. “Chat” allows customers to engage with your business in real-time. Either one can optimize communication between you and your market base.
You can track your company’s data and its performance through analytics. You’ll see different variables for growth. These include the number of visitors on your website, page views, bounce rate—the percentage of visitors who leave right away without exploring your site—and the average time visitors spend viewing your content. All of these are important for tracking your business’s online growth.