Business Development

Business Development and The Internet

Last Updated (30.09.08)

Six years ago, it really wasn’t that important to have a website, and if you did it was very basic, with about 6 million Australian internet users, business didn't worry so much. Today more and more people are turning to the internet for a means of searching a new product or service. The days of looking in the paper and yellow pages are fast disappearing with around 20 million Australians,  Australia now has over 15 million internet users, which now means if your website isn’t up to scratch then you are missing out on a lot of potential customers.

Key points to look at with your website are:

1/ is your website displaying in a basic keyword search associated to your business in the likes of Google, Yahoo and MSN? If your website is not on the first few pages, then it’s time to optimize your website with some fresh content and maybe a new website design with an SEO package.

2/ Competitors websites are always good to have a look at to see were your site sits in the way of design, ease of use, and general functionality. If your site looks old and designed back in the early days then the chance is your customer will go to a much more appealing website.  Unique design with correct functionality is vital in a professional website to attract new customers and keep the existing ones coming back again.

3/  Shopping  Carts and Ecommerce: One of the main reasons for a buyer not to buy a product or service from your website is that your website is not secure, meaning there is no SSL certificate installed. SSL certificate will encrypt your desired pages for credit card security when customers enter their details.  The checkout process of your website should be smooth yet fast with easy to understand instructions with the least amount of steps involved to completion. Automated payment gateways are a very good idea for small to medium companies, with a streamlined automated checkout with instant payment takes the hassle out of manual processing customer’s credit cards.