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impactful business websitePicture a dad sitting at lunch with his four-year old who asked, “What does it sound like when a chicken sneezes?” The dad had no clue, but guess what he did. He asked the internet. Within a few seconds, he had a YouTube video of a chicken sneezing. His kid laughed and laughed at it.

We can’t imagine the world without the internet anymore, but did you know that as of 2016 46 percent of small businesses in the U.S. still don’t have a company website? According to a survey done by the B2B research firm Clutch, some of the reasons listed for not having one include cost, lack of technical knowledge, the need for upkeep, using social media instead or not needed in their industry.

No matter the industry you are in, the business you have or the demographic of your customers, your online presence matters. Own your brand and make it easy for customers to find you by putting together a great website. If you do a Google search for “must haves for a small business website,” you’ll find a number of helpful articles that list the basics, such as good navigation, contact information and a blog. We want to supplement those lists with our must-have list. Our list will help you use your website to make an impact. Do these three important things to make an impact with your business site in the increasingly competitive landscape of online content.

  1. Show up in Google results. According to The Acquity Group’s 2014 State of B2B Procurement study, 77% of B2B buyers use Google search to find products and services, with 83% using the supplier’s website for their research! If they can’t find you, they can’t research you, and they won’t be your next customer. The first step to showing up in Google is to get your site up and running. Then refer to this helpful Google site for a list of places to submit your site: “Get your content on Google”.
  2. Support mobile. We’ve posted about your business’s mobile strategy in a past blog because it matters! Just to remind you: 76% of consumers who search by location on their phones visit the store within a day. Small businesses can support mobile by providing mobile-friendly sites and offering mobile apps.
  3. Stand out in the crowd. The internet is a jam-packed world. In fact, Verisign, Inc. reported that approximately 12 million domain names were added to the internet in the first quarter of 2016! So how can you make an impact in such a congested space? We have three words for you: Search Engine Optimization. The SEO game has changed over the years, and it’s no longer about what has been online the longest or sites with the most pages. What matters now is being mobile-friendly and making your site the most relevant for the searcher. Focus on your business’s niche. Create content for local searches. These are some good starter strategies for SEO.

Make today the day when you own your business’s brand online. Make it easy for new customers to find you.