The world has evolved and will continue to evolve as long as there is technology. A good instance of this is the development of the atomic bomb to its upgrade into the nuclear bomb or the discovery of the electric telegraph to upgrade into the mobile devices we all use today. At each point in time, every significant discovery has had a major impact on how the world works and one of the most impactful discoveries since when it was created in 1983 to date is the “internet.”
Since the late ’90s, the internet has continued to change how the world works and does not seem to slow down any time soon. The introduction of websites or platforms like “Hi5, Yahoo messenger, Friendster, Vimeo, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, SnapChat, Reddit, Medium, and a host of others, have transcended how communication is handled and businesses thrive.
Let’s not take our eye off the ball, every business be it small or big, need an online presence and here is why;
Unlimited Customer Access to the Business
Have you ever wondered why universities do online courses or why Amazon and AliExpress keep out-selling on-site stores? This is because they have an online presence and that helps them create a virtual representation of their business. A popular Silicon Valley statement states; “if it can’t be accessed on your mobile device then it is not business worthy.”
Having an online presence allows people in whatever part of the globe to be able to access your business at any time, it gives potential clients the opportunity to be able to go through your array of products and services and purchase them without even coming in contact with you.
Increase in Customer base and Profit
It also gives you the opportunity to increase your customer or client base through online advertising, affiliate marketing, etc. The more people see you, the more people know you, thus the more likely your profit margin is to increase because your customer base has also increased.
Customer Knowledge Acquisition
One of the major reasons why a small business fails is business they don’t have adequate information about what their customers want. Having an online presence helps you track and gather information about the activities of your potential customer, thus providing a way to better understand what they need which helps you to convert them into a customer by tailoring your services and products to those specific needs.
Note: There is a tone of benefits that comes with having an online presence and as a small business owner, if you don’t have one, then you’re setting yourself up to fail. The way for you to avoid such a disaster is to have an online presence. If your online skills are great, then set up a WordPress website or social media account on Facebook or LinkedIn, etc.
If you have poor internet skills or you’re just not an individual who has time to handle such activities, you can hire freelancers or agencies to help you handle these activities until you’ve grown enough to employ in-house staff that can handle them for the business.