A website exists on the Web every minute; well-designed websites take the effort out of communicating similar messages to globally diverse customers daily and dutifully generate business leads. Websites are the first step to an online/ Web presence for many of today's companies and organisations.
Why would I need an online/ Web presence?
There are numerous textbook answers to this often-asked question. A general answer would be to establish a competitive advantage and possibly evolve new business processes and models through the Web.
In an increasingly competitive market, many companies and organisations already recognise the potential of the Web to open up a new layer of accessibility for their businesses.
A Web presence is akin to global sales, marketing, advertising and distribution channels that serve to raise customer awareness and gain customer confidence, as well as connect with and receive feedback from customers and business associates.
With the uptrend in society's Internet adoption rates (broadband Internet penetration here being over 70 per cent), there are, inevitably, negative impressions that companies without a corporate website are backward and not up to date. A Web presence is a cost-effective and dynamic way to boost corporate visibility. Local SMEs without a website should break out of their shell and start getting the dotcom on to their business cards.
Infocomm public education for SMEs
Tip of the day: SMEs without a website domain name can now enjoy discounts of up to $30 on their first-year domain name registration. Act today. Details of the participating Singapore Network Information Centre accredited registrars are available at sme.sgnic.sg
What can I do to further enhance my business's Web presence?
A simple corporate website is the first step to establishing a presence. However, in today's dynamically changing World Wide Web, a Web presence may go well beyond a basic corporate site. An effective Web presence is the product of a strategically selected set of Web-related tools, media and processes (including a basic website) and their applicability to the business itself.
According to the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), 31 per cent of the local SMEs have a website. Of these, some actively advertise on the Web and have robust customer response systems to generate leads through their sites. More advanced players would even have e-commerce extensions to support online sales and also a personalised portal for customers to login and manage the services and/or products they are paying for. It all depends on the nature of the business and the needs.
A bad Web presence is worse than no Web presence. -- Your Web presence is your company's 'face' to local and global audiences including customers and business associates. It's definitely not wise to cut corners when your company's professionalism and trustworthiness are at stake. If you believe your website is outdated or not up to scratch, it's time you checked out how you measure up to the competition and decide on a new Web presence strategy.
It's said that if you do not exist on Google, you do not exist on the Web at all. Therefore, if you do not have a Web presence or if your current Web presence is not keeping up with changing times, think about all the businesses and opportunities you are missing out on.
This article has been contributed by Techsailor Group Pte Ltd, a Web consulting and solutions provider and member of the Singapore infocomm Technology Federation
