Creating an online presence has become essential for entrepreneurs and small businesses to connect with consumers, partners and suppliers to help drive growth. According to our recent Global Entrepreneurship Survey, results showed that more than a quarter of Canadian small business respondents estimate that at least half their sales will come from online drivers in the next five years.
People today expect businesses to have a website so they can find information about the products and services they’re interested in more easily. Having a website gives you the ability to be more visible and provide information about your business 24X7, while also allowing you to create the experience you want your customers to have for your business.
Accessibility is key. Consumers still expect companies to have a website even if they don’t conduct business online. Companies that are not easily accessible or visible to consumers are potentially limiting their new business growth opportunities.
Not all small businesses have websites. In Canada, the survey also showed that only 38 per cent of small business respondents reported having a website. They may think it’s too hard, too time consuming or expensive, but it’s really not! It’s important for small businesses to think about how they may be missing out on other opportunities if they are only relying on word-of-mouth, referrals or social media to get new business. A website is there to provide information about what you do for people looking for a product or service in your area. Your competitor is likely to have a website and may pick up those new clients that may have been yours.
Yet, from the survey, we were encouraged to learn that small business owners who already had a website, responded that they were more optimistic about their growth prospects compared to those without, with 64 per cent saying they expect their business to grow in the next three to five years.
Creating a website doesn’t have to be a daunting process. Fortunately, you no longer need to be a tech expert to create a website. Today, website-building platforms give entrepreneurs and business owners the tools they need to create and manage an online presence for their business.
GoDaddy, for example, can help you get up and running with a professional-looking site really quickly. We talk with thousands of customers every day so we’ve learned a lot about what tools and services people need. And we offer 24X7 US based phone or chat support if you have any questions at all. Our website building tools offer a vast selection of templates and options to create unique looking websites that are easy to build. There are sample photos and content already embedded in the templates that you can use or replace with your own pictures and copy.
GoDaddy Websites + Marketing pairs an easy-to-use website builder with a suite of marketing tools such as email marketing and SEO (search engine optimization), designed to help small businesses with limited marketing experience reach new customers and fuel growth. It helps business owners to effectively plan, build and grow for the future by providing a dashboard showing how you’re doing and action plans for what to do next.
Getting online is an important way for businesses to enhance growth and reach a larger consumer base. Taking advantage of website building platforms can be the easiest and most cost-effective way to create an online presence. Given Canadian consumers’ increasing embrace of technology, it’s fortunate our small business owners and entrepreneurs have easy access to the tools necessary to help them get online.
Anne De Aragon – Vice President and Country Manager for GoDaddy Canada
