Your Website in 2009: Getting Expectations Right

And it may be well about time.  Quick, the first thing that comes to your mind about website objectives.

Automation? Convenience? Image?

How about exposure?

For many of our clients in B2B industries, the search volume for their services and products have taken quite a hit.  If you have access to and compare the search volume for your services you would probably find that it’s been significantly lower compared to the same period last year.  Businesses aren’t necessarily in really difficult times but most prudent ones will think twice and make smarter decisions about purchases.  That means that they will spend more time looking at alternative suppliers and doing some research.  Probably on the Internet.

Zip back to objectives.  I met a business owner today who believed that corporate websites should all be about ecommerce.  I’ve met several others who do not have an online presence because “our customers prefer to touch and feel our products” or “our customers are regulars who do not really access the internet”.

To me at least, a website is most powerful when used as a marketing tool.  It should be used primarily to capture the part of the market that you have yet had access to.  Use a website to gain exposure and build brand recall.  It doesn’t matter if nobody fills in your contact form for an order today, tomorrow or next year.  When he finally needs a service and your brand comes to mind, you will have won the battle for market share.