WHY YOUR BUSINESS SHOULD HAVE A FUNCTIONAL WEBSITE
Nkem Ndem
PR Associate at Jumia Travel
In Nigeria today, having a website for your business is no longer just an option; it is in fact a necessity. People and companies go to the internet for literally almost everything and if your business is not online, it will seem as though your business does not exist.
If you have just started a business and you are thinking about creating a website but not sure if having one is worth the investment, Jumia Travel, Africa’s No.1 hotel booking portal shares five key benefits of having a business website.
It allows visibility
A good way to create visibility for your business is to create a website for it online. People tend to research online before buying offline. They type in their problems or needs into the search engine of their choice and with your website listed on the internet, appear for those queries and is easily seen. If you do not have a web presence, there will be no chance of your business appearing and being considered, also, you will be ‘giving’ business to your competitors.
It gives credibility
A well-designed, professional looking website lends authenticity to your business and adds credibility. A majority of people in Nigeria are still leery of making purchases online due to the reputation for websites getting hacked or compromised. However, they will search the internet for credibility of a product or service prior to making a purchase offline. Seeing a website, with perhaps testimonials, creates opportunities for customers to trust the business.
It fosters relationship with customers
The general idea is that a website is simply a place to put information, but it is much more than that. A well designed and maintained website allows for customer interaction as certain features such as social media links and a blog create the opportunity to get to know your customers. Also, you can send messages instantly to your customers through email; your customers can review your products online and can also leave feedback for you and your business. The feedback gives you information about what your customers are looking for and expecting from you.
Leads to an increase in sales
With a website, your business has a wider reach and so, can help you generate more customers. Basically, a website ensures your business is on the internet, which offers a global community and thus you have visibility not just within your locale, but in nearby cities and even around the world. This wide visibility leads to more potential visitors, which also leads to more potential sales. You however need to consistently update and promote the contents of your site, and again, ensure you tailor your website to give your customers exactly the information that they are seeking. The more informative and easy to navigate your site is, the greater the possibility of increasing your sales.
Round the clock accessibility
While your business has an opening and closing time offline, it can stay open online via your website 24/7, every day of the year. This is great as it makes it continuously accessible to customer. You do not ever close the doors of your website, so customers are not limited to learning about your business during normal business hours. Again, you can actually track everything that is happening on the website so you can easily access the progress of your website and view all its pages. You can even make an update anytime, making it much less expensive than printed material.
