In both the B2C and B2B sectors, people today almost always use the Internet as their primary point of contact when it comes to solving problems or fulfilling wishes. On Google in particular, billions of business-specific search queries are made every day, such as "dentist around the corner", "production resources steel Hanover", "opening hours building materials dealer Schmidt" or "comparison corporate liability Bremen".

Nevertheless, according to various studies, a website for small businesses is still not an issue in many places. Businesses that offer an appropriate service portfolio or are possibly even directly addressed in a search, but do not provide the most important information for their target group on a website, must expect extreme losses. As a result, they are less and less likely to be taken up under the advancing digital and technical development. They lose relevance and visibility for the customer. This in itself is an extremely relevant economic argument for a web presence.

We have already answered how to make your internet presence a success in our article "The most important success factors for a good website". Continuing on, we now present the concrete advantages and reasons for a website. Why do you need a website and what makes a good website?

What is a website or what purposes does it serve?

A website is a construct of several individual web pages that are linked to each other via a menu. It can be accessed and used via a specific address using a browser.

Basically, the website can be described in business as the digital business card of a company. Whereby modern Internet presences do much more than provide central company or contact data.

Ideally, they offer interested parties and customers a comprehensive and target group-specific overview of the company's services, values and visions at any time and any place or via any device.

The website is often the first touchpoint with a brand and thus a decisive factor in how it is perceived.

In addition to simply presenting the company, an Internet presence can and should pursue numerous other goals. This is because it is where all the threads of online marketing come together. For example, it is possible to strongly push the awareness level of one's own services via SEO. Blog posts that are distributed via social media have enormous reach potential and promote the creation of backlinks. And strategically cleverly placed ads draw the attention of target customers to the respective offers exactly when they probably need them most urgently.

Last but not least, the connection of the website with an e-commerce system or online shop can of course also be used to sell directly online. Furthermore, it is possible to offer special applications on the website, such as calculation tools, augmented reality apps or chat features for direct support. The focus is always on providing visitors with a special added value.

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This is why a website is so important in 2021

Why it is very important that companies create or have created a website has already been proven several times in the previous paragraphs. In the following, individual reasons for a website will be discussed in more detail.

When people search for goods or services today, they usually do so online first.

The companies whose website offers relevant information or even the possibility of a direct purchase have accordingly very good chances to win customers. Those who do not have a professional homepage, on the other hand, are likely to lose customers to competitors.

Once a website is created, it can be accessed at any time. This gives customers the opportunity to inform themselves 24/7 about the company and the product range or the services offered.

Via feedback, e-mail and chatbots, companies are also directly available to their target customers around the clock - in contrast to the classic telephone book entry.

Companies usually have a lot to tell - from the history of the company to the range of services and references. All this information and more can be found on a website.

Especially with complex B2B products or services, classic information and advertising media, such as posters or newspaper ads, often reach their limits. On the website, however, it is no problem to present everything in detail.

Companies evolve because otherwise they cannot remain competitive. Such innovations can best be brought to the target customers via the company's own website.

If new and value-added content is delivered regularly - for example, within an associated blog - the likelihood that visitors will return again and again to keep up to date increases significantly. This in turn increases the chances of achieving conversions and Google also perceives correspondingly high traffic as a very positive signal.

With the help of an online shop that is integrated into the website, a completely new sales channel can be generated. For example, local retailers get the chance to expand their catchment area or to convince more customers from the region with a click-and-collect option.

Nowadays, people are increasingly moving in the digital world. Therefore, it can be much cheaper for companies to pick up the target customers with marketing and advertising measures there as well, than via print media.

Not only can customers be directed specifically to the website or shop with a click, but the measures can also be carried out absolutely efficiently through data, automations, algorithms, etc.

Optimally, exactly those people are reached who also have a tactile interest in the respective goods or services offered, which in turn significantly minimizes wastage.

Of course, especially a professional website has its value, but in view of the fact that the Internet presence then works for the business in the long term, i.e. achieves more reach, makes contacts and generates sales, the view of the costs, however, is put into perspective very quickly.

Since it will become the norm in the future to first look for solutions to specific challenges or wishes on the Internet, the chances of surviving on the market without an Internet presence will become increasingly slim.

On the other hand, companies can outperform their competitors very effectively with a particularly good or target group-oriented website and position themselves as experts.

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What makes a good website

The following quality criteria significantly determine the quality and effectiveness of a website. For a deeper insight, we recommend our articleThe most important success factors for a good website.

Clear goals and clear target group orientation: If you don't set any goals, you have no real indication of whether your website is successful or not. In addition, it is particularly important to precisely identify your target group by means of buyer personas, otherwise you will hardly be able to work efficiently towards fulfilling their expectations and needs.

A domain that is suitable in terms of content and short: If you rely on a concise domain for your website that represents your business in the best possible way, your chances of the pages being visited increase considerably.

Value-added and up-to-date content: Today's website users are especially looking for information that helps them solve specific challenges or needs. Content that does just that is highly relevant and, as a result, tends to be heavily used. This in turn accounts for a significant part of a website's success.

Structured and short texts:The content of your website should be well structured in order to be tangible for the user even in a short time. Besides subheadings and highlighting, a successful content mix is important.

Simple language and orthography: Ideally, you should precisely pick up on the wording of your target group within your website. Don't write too complexly and get to the point quickly. Pay attention to spelling in order to appear serious.

Highly visible interaction and contact options: Interactions and communication are very important on a website, as they are linked to many typical conversions. So, make it as easy as possible for your visitors to interact and communicate.

An appealing design: The design should be unique, but functional at the same time. Don't overwhelm your visitors with too much newness.

A consistent and legible font: the font used should work equally well on all devices - be it mobile or desktop - and stand out legibly from the backgrounds.

Intuitive navigation: Allow your visitors to navigate your website intuitively - no matter which device is used for this.

A short loading time, accessibility and a responsive design: Who doesn't know it - the website loads too slowly or is in no way adapted to the screen size of your end device. Here, the stressed user usually losesA website without functional obstacles is used more intensively, which has a positive effect on your conversions and not least the SEO.

SSL encryption, compliance with security standards and data protection conformity: Data security has become more important than ever since the DSGVO came into force - don't put yourself at risk of a severe warning or other negative legal consequences.

Search engine optimization: Search engines are one of the main points of contact for all kinds of searches on the web. If you have a good standing with your website on Google and Co., the chances that your services will be accepted increase enormously.

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Advantages that you can draw from a professional company homepage

If you're still not convinced by this point that you need a website for your business, we'll provide you with some significant benefits of a good online presence below.

No matter what business you are in, if (potential) customers can't find your company on the internet, it simply doesn't exist for them. On the other hand, a good website will strongly underline your existence or presence.

Ideally, it will provide your target audience with a broad and beneficial insight into your business and your brand. By presenting yourself in a friendly and customer-oriented manner on the Internet, you will generate visibility (in search engines) and thus customers, patients, clients or trading partners.

You offer regular and new customers modern, uncomplicated opportunities to get to know your company via value-added information about the company, such as service focuses, office hours, contact data and direct communication options.

Your biggest competitors and the generally top-selling companies in your industry are guaranteed to be on the internet. A quick search query on Google about the competition will easily provide insight into the respective activities on the net, which you can actually use very well for your purposes.

If, for example, you find only incomplete or not up-to-date information, you should do better with your own website. If, on the other hand, you are confronted with a first-class presentation and a lot of added value at your competitors' websites, this is one more reason for you to intensively deal with the creation of an outstanding website.

Your target customers and not least Google will take it positively!

A website can be used to convincingly present the respective offers, generate trust, communicate support, sell, carry out branding, promote strong long-term business relationships and achieve many other goals.

Value-added content that represents the company plays an increasingly important role. Today's Internet users are generally looking for information that helps solve specific challenges or needs. Content that does just that and carries the USPs of your brand and the products you sell is particularly relevant and helpful for customer acquisition and retention.

If you offer a website that is aligned accordingly, this not only reflects positively on the website itself, but also on your entire brand.

A good website offers a lot of potential to reach new target groups and prospective buyers. Corresponding processes can be triggered in very different ways. Newsletter marketing, SEO, e-commerce, SEA and social media marketing are currently the most promising options.

The popular opinion that it is extremely expensive to have a website created is quickly put into perspective when you compare the costs to those of ads in the daily newspaper, the printing of brochures or even the creation of flyers.

Of course you have to spend money first. However, the finished website then works largely independently. Necessary updates or generally smaller adjustments can be carried out by yourself in the twinkling of an eye.

By shifting information from physical or classic marketing and advertising media, you can thus save money in the long run.

The presentation of your company on your own website - in contrast to press articles or guest articles on important business portals - is entirely in your own hands.

Ideally, you create a comprehensive and positive public image, which carries the principles and vision of your brand.

Lead-impacting content or gated content doesn't always have to be delivered via specialized landing pages. There are also many opportunities for this on the company's website.

The classic is the possibility to register for a newsletter. Interested parties must at least provide an e-mail address in order to receive, for example, "exclusive information on new services" or "tutorials on further applications of products provided exclusively via newsletter". The leads thus obtained can then be further processed in a differentiated manner in lead nurturing.

In addition to the newsletter, a chat support feature, blog comments or direct downloads of special documents such as white papers or checklists are also suitable for lead generation via website.

If you have a website, that alone means increased reach potential. Because your company can now theoretically be found by billions of users via the Internet.

This fact can be taken to the extreme with specific online marketing measures. If you do SEO, social media marketing and advertising, you can still be found by the same enormous number of internet users. However, you also increase the likelihood that you will be noticed by a particularly large number of people who are genuinely interested in your services and reduce wastage.

FAZIT

As we could (hopefully) clearly convey in this article, you benefit with a strong web presence on very different levels. A professional website is much more than just a business card on the web. With a strategically smart approach, it forms an absolute marketing center for your business, which is also inexpensive and works largely independently.

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We are happy to support you in making your online presence competitive and future-oriented:

  • How does your website compare to your strongest competitors? We would be happy to conduct a free TYPO3 upgrade check for you and define a success-oriented target alignment together with you.
  • In this context, we will advise you with our extensive know-how on the topics of user experience and user guidance on your website and help you to deliver an optimal experience to your customers.
  • Our experienced web developers will be happy to implement your individual wishes - be it the development of extensions, responsive websites, apps orinterface connections.
  • Need a new website? No problem. Together we will find the right content management system for you and start from scratch.
  • Our support team is always available for technical and editorial support as well as regular training.

For a successful and comprehensive online strategy, we are also happy to advise you on the following topics:

Do you have any further questions?

Oliver Parrizas will be happy to answer any questions you may have on the subject. icon phone+49-800-911-91-91

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