If you’re a small business owner you already know that a website is important for marketing & sales. But there are many types of small business websites. What’s right for your business?
There are so many different types it can be confusing to find the right one. Educating yourself on the various types of small business websites is the first and most important step in properly marketing your business.
We’re going to look at 3 different types of small business websites. This should make it easier and less confusing to decide what site suits you.
Brochure Website
This is exactly what it sounds like: the digital version of your printed brochure with a similar design. This type of website is usually the least expensive because it’s smaller and static.
These sites usually cover the basics including company history and experience, a brief list of products and services, contact information, FAQs, even customer testimonials. A brochure website is a great starter website that establishes your business on the Internet and provides customers with an overview of the business.
If you’re a smaller brick-and-mortar company that doesn’t have services you can easily sell online, this is usually the best option. Think hair salons, auto garages and veterinarians.
A brochure website is the first step in marketing your business online. Then you can start to link all your electronic efforts together, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Yelp reviews, Pinterest and whatever other sites you’re using.
E-Commerce Website
An e-commerce website is used to sell products and services online. This type of site can be a complement to your brick-and-mortar store or for businesses that sell primarily online. E-commerce websites range from small local companies selling as few as one item online to large online-only companies like Amazon.
Just like a store, they’re organized by departments or categories for easy browsing and purchase. Shoppers add items to a shopping cart and check out when they’re finished. There are usually a variety of payment methods for the customer’s convenience that can include PayPal, credit cards and direct withdrawal from a bank account.
This type of site requires more design and programming so it will cost more than a brochure website and take more time to build. But there are plenty of alternatives to building one from scratch. Options include:
PayPal: This easy-to-use and budget-friendly site has become the go-to online payment center for many businesses and individuals. Anyone can sell their products and services on any website, including a brochure website. Shoppers select items to buy and when they’re ready to checkout they’re linked to PayPal to finish the financial transaction.
Yahoo! Small Business: A turnkey solution that offers 3 e-commerce packages: Starter plan for $19.95/month; Standard plan at $49.95/month; and Professional plan $299 per monthly.
Magento: This open source (read: free) shopping cart can scale from ‘easy-to-use’ to pretty complex configurations. Also, lots of themes, extensions and support forums for DIYers who don’t want to hire a web design company.
Shopify: A step up but more involved. It hosts your site on its servers, manages the administrative backend and handles security. The basic service costs $29 a month, professional $79 and unlimited $179 a month.
Lead Generating
You can use your website as a referral engine to actively generate more business. This type of website is more advanced than the brochure website. Start by blogging on a regular basis with topical, relevant content to your business, products or services. This gives customers and prospects a reason to visit regularly, and can increase their trust in your business. It also shows your expertise. Each time you blog share it on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and any other social media platforms you’re using. Deliver high-quality content people want and need and you’ll see more online traffic, build trust and generate more referrals. This type of website requires more in resources; you’ll need someone to blog and update the site regularly. But the benefits are well worth it for many businesses, with an increased profile and site traffic.
If you’re a small business owner you already know that a website is important for marketing & sales. But there are many types of small business websites. What’s right for your business?