Why Do I Need a Website?

If you haven't yet taken the plunge, but are increasingly feeling the pressure to get your "shingle on the web" you may be asking yourself this important question. You are the best person to answer that question and your response will determine whether a website will further your business goals. A good, well-planned and designed, content-rich website will address all of the following:

• Build your brand
• Increase customer awareness
• Enhance your company image
• Gain national/worldwide exposure
• Provide information to increase sales
• Reduce your advertising costs
• Sell products or services directly over the Internet
• Keep customers updated
• Provide support
• Get instant feedback

If any or most of the above objectives are in line with yours, then it is definitely time to get yourself a website. But where to begin? The entire process can be confusing because much of the information you find on the Internet about building a website comes from service providers who are out to sell you as much as they can. Determining what you absolutely need versus what is merely optional can be difficult to sort out if you're not sure how a website works.

There is an enormous range of options when it comes to having a website, from building it yourself for nothing and hosting it for free (without a domain name), to completely outsourcing the project to someone else who can do everything for you. You'll need to consider the investment you are willing to make in the development and hosting of your site and the return you expect to get.

Do-it-Yourself, or Hire a Professional?