Business Websites: Do You Really Need One?

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A shoddy unprofessional website is not necessarily better than none at all. Yell.com lists all plumbers for example, if the entry has a website I do look at it. However if the entry does not have a website this does not stop me caaling.
Adversely if an entry has a shocking out of date website then I would definately pass. A half decent website can be built for £300, hosted for £20. If a business cannot afford this outlay then I would wonder if it was a business at all?

Ben Sykes SEo Consultant of AL 12:20PM January 11, 2009

A shoddy unprofessional website is not necessarily better than none at all. Yell.com lists all plumbers for example, if the entry has a website I do look at it. However if the entry does not have a website this does not stop me caaling.
Adversely if an entry has a shocking out of date website then I would definately pass. A half decent website can be built for £300, hosted for £20. If a business cannot afford this outlay then I would wonder if it was a business at all?

Ben Sykes SEo Consultant of AL 12:20PM January 11, 2009

You don't even need a website-- just list your biz on Google Maps or Yahoo Local for free. And if you are willing to make an investment of about $1k, plus on-going expense of a hundred dollars a month, you can drive leads and traffic. Don't get ripped off by the folks who want to sell you a fancy package that is unmeasurable. Demand 100% accountability.

Dennis Yu of CO 6:03AM January 10, 2009

While I understand that small businesses in some industries might not get the same benefits as others by having a website, having some sort of online presence is crucial to every small business owner. As you mention in your article, consumers generally search the internet to obtain information on businesses before making a purchase. While I do think there are affordable options for websites and that this adds credibility to a business, there are also other free or low-cost alternatives such as online directories like Brownbook.net and social networks like Facebook and Twitter. The important thing is that your business information comes up where consumers are searching for it- on the internet.

Christine M. Adolf of FL 3:15PM January 09, 2009

Maybe it depends on the business. But I see smart phones replacing the yellow pages. People will be able to let their fingers do the walking while they're already out. You have to have some sort of presence to reach these impromptu researchers.

Carl Natale of ME 3:21PM January 08, 2009