Infoserve Group

As the virtual world plays an even greater part in our lives, there are two words that really get to me.

Those words are ‘UNDER CONSTRUCTION’ splashed across a company’s website.

I would hazard a guess that in the majority of cases, nobody’s doing any work on it and the words ‘under construction’ will remain for months and even years. It’s a cop out for most. They have bought the domain name, put up a holding page and think that’ll do until they get round to sorting it out, paying little attention to internet marketing.

But they don’t. Instead they forget about it not realising it will be doing more harm that good.

Companies need to realise that with 86% of local searches for businesses taking place online, the first port of call will be the website. It serves as their place of business in a virtual world.

And the fact is the virtual world is just as important as the real one, as it is the first stage in the buying process.

Consumers today are savvy. They want to know more about the business before they buy. So if they can’t find any information they’ll be off to a competitor. Just like they would in the real world if a note was pinned to the door telling them the business is not open yet!

And when people have researched online by taking a look at websites, 90% of those searches will result in offline activity such as calling the business or going to visit them.

So companies must make it a priority to get their website sorted out. For an investment of a few hundred pounds a company can have a site to be proud of which will tell potential customers all they need to know and drive business their way.

Only when it has been given the attention it deserves can online marketing be maximised, whether it is through website optimisation, a business directory or through PPC and sponsored links.

So if your website resembles more of a cobweb site, it’s time you dusted it down and gave it the attention it needs so you can attract more business rather than presenting them with a closed door.