Sometimes the best place to begin is with one first action. Reading this blog for example. When we are wanting to move forward but can't make a decision, we must ask ourselves "Why?"
Once you ponder this short question, a myriad of answers might flood your brain at once. However, most people I have worked with ask themselves, "Do I need a website?" The goal of this post is to help you to answer this question.
If your question was, "Do I really need a website?" The answer is NO!
BUT if you own a business, you DO need to have a web presence. YES!
If this is confusing, then that is where you need to start your research. When I work with clients, I typically ask them what type of web presence they have already. Most people respond with either "Yes, I have a website." Or "No, I don't have a website." Either way, they haven't responded to my question correctly. Our web presence is the collective of all the technology tools and outlets available to us online. A quick way to determine this is to search for your business and see what results you yield. I use the following three: Google, Bing, and Yahoo. You should find that your results vary, but a pattern will emerge.
If your business is difficult to find, then you need to improve your web presence. Just a friendly reminder that typing in the name of your business is not always the best way to determine your results. If someone doesn't know the name of your business, then they won't be able to find you. So expand your search to more broad terms and see what results you get.
In getting started, the answer is "Yes, you need to have a WEB PRESENCE." Once you make this decision, the next decisions will be easier. What that will look like will depend upon the type of business you are in and what you are hoping to accomplish. I'll explain more about creating a tailored web presence in my next posts.