Right Or Wrong? Is Your Local Business Website Actually Hurting Your Business Behind Your Back?

Do I really need a website for my local business?

With the astronomical growth in e-commerce over the last few years has come an increased amount of research now being done online as well........not just research into online purchases, but research into service providers, restaurants, shops, brands & everything in between. If you don't have a website then people can't find you online. If they can't find you online they won't try to find you anywhere else because they'll already be speaking to your competitors....and that is as true for small local business as it is larger businesses. 

In addition to the ability for people to actually find you, the right website (more on what is "right" later) as well as a wider online presence also gives your business credibility, and authority in its space. Rightly or wrongly, people judge your business by what they find (or don't find) online, as that is often their first touch point with your business. If they find a bad website, or worse, no website at all, they just assume that you can't be bothered, or aren't competent or organised enough to create one. That negative impression then carries over into their expectation of how you conduct your physical business, and there's a good chance they'll go elsewhere.

There is now no doubt whatsoever that every business needs a website, but you also need to make sure you have the right website for your business.

OK, so what is the right website, and if mine isn't like that, how is it hurting my business?