Why you need a Website more than ever
While we are still building websites, it is safe to say that we have all been impacted in one way or another by Covid19. Of course there is the illness it’s self and the toll it has taken on our sick and elderly. Then there is the damage to business. So many business owners have watched on as their life work is decimated before their eyes. Rescue packages from the Government are still propping many businesses, but uncertainty and fear reign across the community.
Then there is the Social Distancing aspect of it all. We are all separated from loved ones as well as the day to day freedoms taken for granted up until now. As a business, trading in most cases is virtually impossible. But does it have to be?
Moving your business online
Since March of 2020, website developers and indeed SEO & SEM specialists have seen a surge in enquiries and projects. So much so, that longer turn around times to develop websites are commonplace, even around the Mornington Peninsula and Frankston area. The simple reason for this that businesses are moving online in their thousands.
Here in Frankston, most prominent is of course the hospitality industry, who have turned to their local Website Design companies for assistance. For so many caterers and restauranteurs, the internet has been a life line, connecting them with their customer. Online food deliveries as well as click and collect has avoided certain closure for hundreds in the food industry across the Peninsula.
Can my business go online?
Besides the Food Industry, our Frankston Web Design team have been inundated with business owners asking “can my business go online?’ Well in many cases, the answer has been ‘Yes’.
In fact, such has been demand, our little Mornington Peninsula Web Agency has been contracted for design and SEO projects across Melbourne and as far out as Apollo Bay.
So far as industries go, we have seen them all during this pandemic. From Balustrading companies to local Electricians, even eco friendly health and beauty, business owners are taking their services online.
Not to mention SEO and Digital Marketing. Businesses who already have an online presence are choosing the Brag Design team to improve their Google rankings and drive sales and enquiries to their virtual door.
Where do I start building a website?
Data tells us that thousands of Melbourne and local business owners are searching the internet for advice on building a website. But the results of these searches are often confusing and even more often, misleading.
The cheapest and most common decision made is often online Web Builder platforms. For a seemingly low price, users can set up a pre-built website, adding some images and basic content. These services have their place of course, but users quickly learn their limitations. While they are cheap, the lack of optimisation and features means they are quickly out grown and in the long run, do not actually offer the value for money they appear to.
Then there are the big corporate developers, with big adverts that follow you around the internet and email box. Sadly, for small business owners, these big fish have quite an appetite and it is easy to get locked into a very bad deal, for a very long time. Many of the large corporate web developers and more unsavoury website, choose obscure Web Development platforms. This means that once they build you a website, no one but them can maintain it. That’s when the hourly rates become crippling and if they are not paid, your website quickly falls into disrepair.
Smart business chooses WordPress Websites?
Without doubt, the online world is confusing and pretty scary at time. Despite all of this noise though, a name that should be prominent in all of your researching is ‘WordPress’.
WordPress is the choice of most developers and is the preferred platform for Google, Bing and other search engines. Furthermore, WordPress itself is absolutely free. Technically, if you have a web hosting account, you can most likely install WordPress on it and get building. Moreover, WordPress comes with thousands of free themes that can look fairly good, but you will need a good knowledge to et the best out of them. This is where a WordPress Developer comes in and the good news is, there are thousands of us.
Naturally, not all WordPress Website developers are created equal, but if your developer does not live up to your expectations, you’ll always find another quick to take up the slack. From a business perspective, this offers security and piece of mind. In most cases it is also very affordable and there are no lock-in’s other than the ones imposed by the government.
Will being online save my business?
For many businesses, being online will mean the difference of surviving this pandemic or falling victim to it. Provided that you can provide your services during this lock down, the internet is the best way to get seen. Traditional advertising, including radio and billboards no longer enjoy the travelling audiences they once had and most of your customers now look online.
For as little as $2000, your business can be online. Important to know however, getting noticed will require further investment as Google will not rank you for months or years, unless you subscribe to their advertising. Indeed, building websites is one thing, getting them seen is another and that’s why Google make so much money.
A new Website will ofter require a spend of at least $10 per day, to get seen locally. This sounds a lot, but put into perspective, if $70 per week is getting you business, it’s probably worth it.
I need help building a Website?
Fortunately help is at hand and not all Web Developers are out to eat you. Many local website developers (especially us of course), have a passion for the internet as well as our communities. Brag Design continue building and managing Websites for clients from Dandenong to the Great Ocean Road, Carrum Downs to Springvale and Mentone to Frankston. We are based in Langwarrin South and know the Mornington Peninsula like the back of our hands.
We love building websites and we love watching our clients win. Our aim is to help businesses survive and even thrive in these difficult times. As such, we urge that you call us if you are in need of advice.