What value is gained from positioning your website as a vital resource to visitors seeking industry related info such as employment opportunities, news, products, services and other important information?
Increasing numbers of people are looking to the Internet for information, opportunities and entertainment and that trend will continue. Any organization that lacks a strong Internet presence will lose valuable market share to competitors willing to embrace this concept. Understanding that a website is not just a means to pull in new customers, rather a way to reach out and connect with a larger community, expand your brand awareness and build confidence and trust in your target market is key to maintaining a successful website.
Strong websites are viewed by the public as a resource, and as such the resource must focus on providing valuable information along with a mix of entertainment and education. This goal should be primary to any organization engaged in maintaining a serious online presence. If done correctly this strategy will build a loyal following of visitors who come back to the site regularly, share the site with their friends and even influence search engines which are always looking for portals that are valuable to the Internet community. This strategy can effectively improve a sites ranking and expand the market share of an organization by driving new visitors to the site.
In summary, the goals of a website should be well defined so that they can be met on a continual basis and continue to expand the reach and voice of the organization. Pound for Pound the Internet is the most cost effective method of connecting with your target audience and what some small businesses have done on a “shoestring budget” is very encouraging.