There’s no way around it: if you want to make it big, you need to be online. If you’ve been doing it for months, and you’re still not taking off, it’s time to look into what you’re doing. Perhaps you’re one of those who believe these myths:
1. “Our business is active in social media. We don’t need a website.”
One cannot fault businesses for using social media to market online. Facebook alone has over a billion members around the world. Sharing content and advertising materials on these platforms is easy. Choosing social media over a website, however, is not the best idea for many reasons.
First, Internet users (and potential buyers) do prefer long-form content. It refers to copies that are 1,000 words or more. Long-form content works because it provides excellent customer value. It boosts your credibility and authoritativeness in the industry. It lets you give as much helpful information as you can.
Search engines such as Google also like this for the same reason. When people search for information, they pick sites its algorithm thinks closely matches the query.
Best of all, despite the popularity of social media, it doesn’t post the highest conversion rates. Facebook came third only after Bing and Google, which ranked first. The conversion rate of Twitter, Snapchat, and even YouTube is less than one per cent!
2. “My data is secure. I don’t need to invest in expensive backup services.”
Reports on online attacks will tell you that no website is secure. Cybercriminals learn from their mistakes. Tools to hack will become efficient over time.
You can also lose your data in other ways. Your internal system can experience corruption. Natural disasters can shut down power for hours or days. Someone from the inside can steal financial data and sell it in the black market. Not backing up your information is risking it.
It’s also untrue that backup services are expensive. The IT support services in Bromley, for instance, are available in different plans. The cheapest is as low as £50 a month, and you can take advantage of full encryption and real-time backup.
3. “My website looks fine. I don’t think I need mobile optimisation.”
In 2018, over 48 million Britons used smartphones. By 2022, it will increase to 53 million.
Mobile devices make life easy, and that includes searching for information and buying products. If you’re a business, you need to learn about mobile optimisation. Sadly, your desktop website won’t cut it.
Desktop PCs and mobile devices have many differences. First, they vary in dimensions. Smartphones and tablets have smaller landscapes, which can affect readability. You cannot design a menu with many tabs or categories.
People also use mobile devices differently than in desktops. They pinch and touch screens on mobile while they rely on a mouse on a desktop. The latter may boost accuracy in clicking websites. Those who depend on mobile for many things are likely the ones on the go. They don’t have the time to deal with complicated web designs.
Your business deserves a take-off. Give it wings by changing your mind about these myths.