While a healthy 76% of people visit physical stores before buying online, the opposite is even more widespread. 88% of people research online before buying in store. This is according to research from Interactions, which also shows that 72% of people “prefer the online process for comparing products.” This includes comparing your products with those of your competitors. So if you’re like most small businesses, you have an uphill battle against the well-funded online presences of the big names.
This is clearly illustrated in an infographic created by Column Five Media for MyCase. According to his research, “nearly 1/3 of small business owners maintain their own websites, neglecting key site features that consumers want.”
No call to action: About half of small business websites don’t display their phone numbers on their home page, and a whopping 93% don’t display their email addresses.
Poor design – 41% agree that improving the design of their website is their top priority.
Difficulty to update: 64% cite the time required to update their sites as a major challenge, while 25% say cost is an obstacle.
Lack of metrics: Three-quarters of small businesses don’t use analytics at all, and of those that do, 60% admit they have no idea what to do with it.
Invisible on Google: More than a quarter of small business sites don’t even appear on Google
· Not linked to social networks: More than 90% do not have Facebook or Twitter widgets, and 83% have no Twitter links. This is a major oversight since of all Millennials (the demographic with the highest purchasing potential today), 62% use Facebook to search for products before buying them, according to G/O Digital.
Forget mobile: 60% of small business websites are not optimized for mobile devices, the same percentage for consumers who “use mobile devices exclusively to make purchasing decisions.”
· No IT person: This should basically address all the other issues listed here. In addition, 44% of small businesses have been victims of cyberattacks, with an average cost of $8,669.48. Do you still think that hiring a professional is too expensive?
These are just some of the facts that support the need for an effective online presence, especially for your website. In the end though, the real reason to improve your website is simple common sense: you want your customers to have a convenient, enjoyable and easy way to choose your product.