In 1886, one of the greatest tools for small businesses was created – The Yellow Pages. Without the Yellow Pages, many small businesses would not have survived due, primarily, to the inability to be found by customers. For five decades, The Yellow Pages was the dominating force for driving traffic to small businesses who couldn’t afford to advertise in paper or on the radio. Cut to 1993 – the internet becomes mainstream and everything changes.
These days, the most affordable and greatest asset of small businesses is the internet – specifically, having a website. Recent studies have shown that 81% of all consumers search online for a company before deciding to do business with them. They are looking at reviews, your website, and your social media to find out who you are. If you aren’t listed anywhere, then you essentially don’t exist.
When it comes to your website and your online presence there are a few things you need to remember.
First and foremost, your website is your first impression for new customers – is your website making a good one? Is your contact information easily found? What about your hours of operation? Does your website reflect your pharmacy in a good light? Is it designed well, easy to follow, and contain good and relevant information? Are you optimized for mobile phones?
These are all questions you need to ask yourself. If ANY of them are a “No” then it’s time to update.
Secondly, when writing your content, there are some key things that are important to include.
Establish Credibility: Use your website to educate and inform new and existing customers. You can do this by providing your input and information on changes within the industry, or even writing a monthly blog on various topics to showcase your expertise in the subject. Additionally, include testimonials and online reviews to show others think your pharmacy is great too.
Your Background: In addition to basic information, be sure to include details about your products and services, provide your company history, introduce your team, and show off your achievements, in a humble way.
Lastly, it is important to update your website regularly. As Google reviews website searches, it looks at how relevant the content is, as well as if it has been updated recently. If you create a website and then never do anything with it, Google and other search engines will assume you can no longer provide helpful information and may rank you lower on the page. Additionally, the world of technology is ever changing, and it is important to make sure your website is keeping up. For example, most people have smart phones and expect your website to look the same (or similar) on their phone as it does on a desktop computer. If your website is not optimized for mobile (meaning it does not adapt to the screen that it is being viewed on) not only will it be harder for people to follow, but search engines will not rank it as high.
Bottom line is, when it comes to your business, having a well-established website presence is key. It is where most new and current customers will find information about your business and best of all, you control what is being said. There are website options to match any budget, so if you don’t have a website, it is time you create one. For help or questions on doing so, you can contact our team at 515-280-2914 or email us at info@grxmarketing.com.