Matt Powers, website designer

let’s face it; business is taking place online. The bottom line is that if you don’t have a website for your business, you are losing potential customers to the competition.

I deal frequently with small business owners, many of whom have been in business for years, but have never had websites. One thing I hear time and time again is that they are thinking of getting a website but they “don’t know if they need it yet”.

Small businesses need websites. With the invention of Google maps and local business listings, people can type a few keywords in, find your website, phone number, and directions to your place of business. It’s like the new Yellow Pages. Not only is this cool and convenient, but it’s how the younger generation is finding the information it wants. Older media are fading out, and are used by select demographics. Even TV is on the decline, while the internet is growing in popularity.

Because of this trend, it is extremely useful for businesses to be proactive and get themselves online. Search engines tend to reward sites that have been around for a while, and it is often quite difficult for new sites to climb to the top of rankings. Don’t wait until your business is going downhill to push the website. Do it when you have the time and resources to handle it properly, and it will reward you.