Why Does My Business Need to be on the Internet?

April 17, 2008

For local businesses, websites are a lot more important than many owners think. In fact, a growing percentage of homeowners will only do business with a local company if they have an Internet presence. By presence, I mean a brochure-type website, positive reviews on larger websites like Yahoo! or Yellow Pages, or even just a mention on business directory. Even a listing on the local Chamber of Commerce website will help. In other words, your company’s name should show up within the first few pages of an Internet search for your industry.In a recent study by Gartner Research, over 80% of Internet users will use a major search engine to find a local business in 2008. In fact, if you appear in the first page or two of search results for specific keywords in your local area (e.g. “pizza danbury, ct”), you should expect a 20-40% increase in sales from Internet searching alone over the next few years. That is certainly good news for local businesses owners who have invested in a clean and informational website.