Why should you have a website for your business? That’s a good question!  These are some of the top benefits of having a website:

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1. Profitable Advertising – sure building a website has a few startup costs; however, once you get it up and running the cost to maintain it is VERY LOW. Thus resulting in one of the best and most cost effective ways to advertise your business.
2. Analyze Customer Behavior – having your own website allows you to use popular, free analytics tools to monitor your website visitor’s behavior when interacting with your site. Use this helpful data to improve marketing and customer experiences.
3. Always On –  Websites work for you 24/7, allowing you to reach to your customers even when you are asleep. EX. If someone’s air conditioner goes out at night they may research HVAC companies online that night to decide who to call the next morning. Of if your product is available for purchase through your website a sale could happen at any time!
4. Valuable Feedback –Being able to monitor and control customer feedback through easy-to-use contact forms on your website will help your business’s accountability and also maintain a clean image. One of the biggest examples of a company underestimating and IGNORING customer feedback was United Airlines, when an upset customer had his guitar broken. Being able to monitor and learn from customer feedback about your business will help make sure you are always improving.
5. Niche Markets –  With a business website even small and mid-sized businesses have the opportunity to cater to the needs of niche markets. This not only is an advantage for the customer but also for the business! The start-up costs of a website are minimal compared to the very high rewards it will provide!
6. Level The Playing Field – A website gives small businesses the chance to brand themselves however they wish and to directly compete with large corporations for customers.

If you were to sit down and ask 10 random people in Lakeland, Bartow, Winter Haven or other surrounding area if they search businesses for products and services online before they make a purchase, I would say about 7 out of 10 would say yes.  Personally, I know I do. Many of my purchases and decisions to hire are based on online presences. If you have a business or will be opening one soon but do not have a website or blog, it is time to get one!