Business websites

Is it worth having a website?

You will need to ask yourself a few fundamental questions before embarking on a website:

• Does my business really need a website?
• What do I want it to achieve for my business?
• Do my customers use the Internet? If not, will they?
• How do the costs compare to other marketing activities such as brochures and mailshots?

A small firm that invests in a website can secure the same Internet exposure as a multinational company. There are few restrictions on the Internet, therefore a business can expand its customer base on both a national and international level.

Websites are the ideal medium for building up online communities and generating feedback from customers. Because of their online nature, they can easily be updated and improved, unlike a paper catalogue or brochure. A website will also allow a business to improve its customer service, giving customers an almost instantaneous means of communicating with the business.