Importance of website in business

On a daily basis, thousands of businesses are started around the world. From small scale business to large business empires, the need for a functional and responsive website has now become a necessity. Why would a business need a website when it is not a technology-based business? This is because running a business without a website in this time and age is more or less a waste of time. The main reasons are highlighted below:

Advantages of websites

1. Less costly: Imagine the amount of money business entities like Jumia, Konga and others would have spent on renting shops all around the country? It would have definitely cost them a fortune. But with the existence of a website, no need to rent shops but just maintain a single website to run their business all around the country.
2. Larger customer base: Just as highlighted above, a salesman who has a shop in a location like Lagos will find the cost of rent so high that he might not contemplate hiring shop in another town. So his customer base will be restricted to Lagos alone. What about people who may like his goods in another part of the country? How will he reach them? That problem will be solved if he can just get a website. His customer base will be as large as internet facility and access can reach.
3. You can be reached at any time: Imagine if I wake up around 2 am and realize that I need a particular item to solve a major problem for me. Where will I go to get the item? We all know that no shop owner will be operating at that odd hour. But if there is any salesman that has a website, I will just log on and make my purchase to be delivered as soon as possible the following morning. That is irrespective of the time and the location where I place the order.
4. Your marketing options are increased if you have a website. Imagine the number of blogs on which Jumia and co place adverts for their goods. There are other options like social media for proper marketing of their goods and services. This definitely increases marketability and sales.
5. Having a website makes you look professional and serious about your business. If corporate bodies want to transact business with you, the existence of a functional website gives you a professional look and a good advantage over someone who restricts his business to a shop somewhere in the town.
6. If you consider the convenience of your customers, you will definitely go for a website. Imagine how easy it will be for a customer to start looking for your shop all over the town when he/she can get the same goods/services online. He will definitely prefer shopping in the comfort of his house to walking around the town inside a blazing sun.

If you consider all of the points I highlighted above, you will realize that you are doing yourself and your business a good service by getting a website. Don't delay in doing this. Don't limit yourself to your immediate neighbourhood while your business counterparts have gone global with their websites.