Five reasons why your website is a top priority during a recession

By Michael Baxter on 24 June 2009 with tags Utopia

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Naturally, you want to get the most for your money in these tough economic times. As you tighten the purse strings on your business, you need to prioritise spending. Should you invest more money into your website, or leave it on the back burner? What is your marketing strategy? Here are five reasons why during this financial crisis you want to make your website a top priority.

1. More cost-effective than any other marketing

Websites are one of the most cost-effective and powerful ways to market your business. When compared to more traditional advertising channels such as magazine advertising, Internet marketing is a bargain. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising programmes such as Google AdWords and Yahoo Overture can offer you measurable (see point 4) and instant results without forcing you to commit large chunks of cash at a time. It’s not uncommon to be able to fund a years worth of Internet marketing for the same price as a month of a costly advert or exhibition.

2. Search engine traffic is free

If you invest money in SEO (search engine optimisation) you can start appearing in the organic search engine listings - they’re the ones of the left hand side of the page. Unlike pay-per-click based Internet marketing this kind of search engine traffic is free – once your site is optimised and in the search engines.

3. Economy receding, Internet growing

Despite what the economy may be doing, the Internet is getting ever larger. There’s lots of talk of consumers spending less money yet sales through eCommerce continue to grow year-on-year. Even among the less computer-literate, the Internet has a reputation for offering better value for money so it’s the place your potential customers will turn to when they start feeling the pinch. Any website can serve as a cost-effective lead generation machine and advertisement for your services.

4. Measurable results

Unlike advertising in magazines or sending out direct mail, a website lets you accurately measure your results. You can record all your online enquiries, analyse your website statistics and track conversions. When every penny counts, it’s important to know what works and what doesn’t.

5. A website is your ideal employee

A properly built website works hard for you and your company. It functions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s never late for work, it will never call in sick and it will never take a day’s holiday. When budgets are cut and times are tough your website is arguably one of your most important assets. Neglect it at your cost!