“Why is it important to create a website? What is the added value of a website for my SME? ” That’s what the SME managers ask.
But the real question to ask is: “Is the creation of a website for an SME an obligation or a development opportunity? “
Statistics
First, we will review consumer Internet usage figures including your current and potential customers. In fact, the web penetration rate in the world is 51.7%, and the web penetration rate in Europe is 85.7%. (source Internet world stats).
It’s interesting ! But the behavior of these online users in terms of consumption interests us more as a SME.
Indeed, 68% of buyers consult the web content of a brand, (Source CMA) and 83% of technical buyers find their suppliers via google (Source Marketing Sherpa). This is obvious on the fact that on google, 2 million search queries are made every minute (source Observatoire du numérique).
Regarding purchase decisions, we find that the customer makes 57% of his buying journey before contacting a sales representative. This means that the customer spends more than half of his shopping journey in the search phase across the web (the easiest channel to distribute the information). (Source Executive Board).
Statistics clearly show the importance of having a website as an SME on the one hand.
On the other hand, you find next “Why is it important to create a website?”
For this, we have tried to collect the 9 assets of a website to ensure the development of your SME in an increasingly competitive environment.
Why is it important to create a website?
Increase your visibility
Advertising resources to increase visibility for an SME are generally very limited because of the heavy investment required. Forcing SMEs to plan distant campaigns to increase their visibility rates, but unable to achieve the estimated goals.
The website, in return, offers you a higher visibility rate among qualified users. Through a well developed site, and rich content, your visibility increases more and more on the search engines and you benefit from an incredible growth in terms of visibility.
24/7 accessibility by the customer
Being always present for your customer is a competitive advantage for your SME. But accessibility 24/7 requires a very heavy investment in terms of human and financial resources. Yet, with a web site, your SME benefits from a 24/7 accessibility by your customers with a much lower investment.
Easy information update and distribution
Imagine that you have changed premises, what is the investment needed to communicate this information to your customers? Now imagine that you have decided to organize an event after your move? Still heavy investments, right?
Well, thanks to your web site, all this is feasible with simple tools that you already have in your specifications of development of your site! And not only have you saved in terms of investment, but you have also increased the reach rate of the individuals in needs of your updates.
An unlimited source of information
At the beginning of this article, we stated that buyers only contact a sales representative after completing 57% of their buying journey. This means that consumers only contact a sales representative after the research phase. So it’s crucial to have an unlimited source of information to get your customer’s attention. As an SME, you must therefore group your information on a website developed according to your specifications and distribute them to your customers.
Credibility
The website of your SME ensures you a virtual existence with different users of the web. Knowing that the majority of consumers search for brand information through search engines, the absence of your web brand reduces your chance of being found and recognized. This negatively impacts your credibility as an SME.
Improved customer service
Customer service is always part of the keys to a business success. In a competitive environment, improving customer service is a necessity to maintain and make profitable customers. A website for SMEs is used to improve this service through the information provided and tools available on your site.
Better understanding to customer behavior
Customer behavior can be determined through statistics and metrics coming from a website. You can determine exactly what drives your customer to consume, the actions that push him to do a specific action and how he reacts to the different offers that your SME offers.
Stand out from competition
Your website represents the showcase of your SME. The visibility and accessibility of a website brings more traffic than a physical showcase.
But how to convert visits to leads and potential customers?
The first tool is the design of your site. A design that reflects your identity and values serves to differentiate you from your competitors and convert visits into leads.
Facilitate contact
Thanks to the available technological tools, the customer becomes more and more demanding in terms of ease of contact with the company. Your client seeks to contact you in a simpler and more efficient way. Therefore, your website will be the easiest and the most accessible channel to deliver the message of your customer to your SME.
To conclude
So Why is it important to create a website for your SME?
From the beginning of this article, we questioned about creating a website for an SME as an obligation or an opportunity for development. According to what we have developed from the statistics to the various utilities, having a website is no longer a luxury for your SME, but rather a necessity to cope with the economic changes and the level of customer behavior.
