I recently visited my new and lovely local hairdresser (yes, I will manage to somehow relate this back to marketing and PR), and after half an hour or so of chatting, deduced that this local business DOES NOT HAVE A WEBSITE! Even in typing this, my disbelief is clear; as I just realised that even then I tried to link back to the salon in question; but that’s right – I can’t!

Anyway, back to my hair experience. My shock/horror at finding out this website business was ill-concealed; I managed to get shampoo everywhere (even some up the nose) as my marketing-mind sprang into action. Why, in this day and age, would a business open and operate with no thought as to a website? 

This is a business which only opened some six months ago, at the very peak of the big old scary ”GFC”. Given their price range, the fact that all their fittings are shiny black gloss and uber-modern and that they are located in the very centre of Newtown – student central; their target market would very clearly be young people. People who are quite commonly known to use the Internet. To find things. On websites.

Now, one might be saying, “well – that’s all fine, but maybe they don’t actually need a website?” After all, I managed to find the place. However it did cross my mind that businesses that aren’t online still exist.  So during my blowdrying session, I enquired/yelled over hair dryer as to whether they were so busy that they simply did not need a website. It seems they most definitely are not.

This led me to think about web presence, and how a good website is, in my opinion, one of the most important marketing tools a company or business can have. I could go on here and find a whole load of marketing stats and percentages about online enquiries leading to sales etc. etc…but a) it’s quite boring and b) It’s late and I’m really not in the mood for a whole load of linking. So I thought I would share my thoughts and those of my colleagues on company websites instead.

As a female in her mid-to-late twenties, part of one of the largest consumer groups society has ever seen – when I want to buy something or pay for some service, the first thing I do is Google.  So entrenched in my everyday psyche is Google that it has actually become an adjective. I look for stuff online. Not only do I look, I “hunt” - a term used by social media commentator and author Iggy Pintado. I keep looking, with different key word combinations until I find exactly what I am looking for.

If I can’t find it online, I assume that either a) I got the name wrong or b) It doesn’t exist.  Or sometimes c) that it just isn’t very good. None of these are particularly good things for a business hoping to attract customers.

A good website also allows for that ‘try before you buy’ feeling. Using the example of the hairdresser for consistency; if I can look up a salon website, see the prices, maybe some photos and some opening hours, then I’m halfway in the door. It also gives you confidence that the business is reputable.

Some websites have other features, like this one here, which incorporates a blog. It allows the reader, who may be a potential client, to get to know me a little. This may or may not be a good thing. But at least this information will go some way to deciding whether they want to contact me. Another advantage is Search Engine Optimisation – whereby my website now has more relevant key words (such as ‘marketing’) on it; so is more likely to be ranked by search engines such as Google.

There are countless other advantages. Websites can incorporate online shopping, or can be used as portals for advertising one’s own products and services – i.e. specials, to hopefully increase the spend of the potential customer. They can also offer information to make one more familiar with the product/service, and view the business as a good source of advice.

But most profoundly of all, a website is an existence. I would almost go so far as to say, that in this day and age – if your business doesn’t have a website; in many people’s minds, it doesn’t even exist. There’s something a little sad about this, that makes me long for the days when the milkman delivered those glass bottles with the shiny red tops. But we all know this is history; as are the days when a website was merely an option.

Anyway, back to the real point of this rant…my hair turned out very nicely indeed; and I would recommend the salon to anyone and everyone…but there’s no use – THEY DON’T HAVE A WEBSITE!