Invest in your website during recession

There is substantial evidence that an economic downturn is a great time to increase a company's efforts in the field of marketing with significant opportunities to increase market share.

Far from "battening down the hatches" when the economy is performing badly, the best performers are those that actually increased spending in marketing activity.

To understand why this is so we need to look at number of factors surrounding return on investment and the market in general:

• Being heard - During a economic down-turn where the 'traditional-thinking' competition is cutting back on marketing, the end consumer is hit by less advertising. Under normal circumstances you need to shout to be heard amongst the competition, but now your efforts will be heard loud and clear by your target audience.
  
• Retaining and strengthening image - Recession is a lot about perception and fear. Companies that reduce their marketing efforts are often seen as poor performers, frightening off potential customers or even being forgotten about. Meanwhile, those companies that use this opportunity to strengthen their image are viewed by consumers as a safer bet. This effect is not short term and will affect perceptions long after any recession is over.

Businesses always want good value for money but during a recession this factor becomes a priority in decision making. When considering value for money in any marketing campaign we consider all the factors that make up the return on investment, not simply the short-term cost:

• Websites are far cheaper than most other forms of advertising such as TV or radio
  
• Traditional forms of advertising increase awareness in the short-term whilst web-sites provide a more persistent presence
  
• Websites can decrease your running costs long-term: providing information such as your latest catalogue or special offers on-line can significantly reduce (or in some cases eliminate) the dependance on printed media and its associated distribution costs

In addition to this there is also a hidden "green" factor. By making more of your products/services/information available online you can make a significant reduction in your carbon footprint over more traditional methods of marketing. This fact can be used as part of a bigger campaign to improve your company image in relation to environmental matters

Usability

Understandably in a recession, there is increased pressure to hold onto every last customer. Carrying out simple usability testing and making improvements that make it easier for visitors to use your website will help hold onto more customers (especially true for eCommerce sites), reducing the attrition rate. And remember, making a one off investment in usability can lead to your company reaping the benefits for years to come. The overhead in retaining customers in this case will prove exceptionally good value over the lifespan of the website.

Accessibility

With around 20% of the population suffering from one disability or another that could affect how they use a website, it makes excellent sense to cater for this particular section of the market. This fact is overlooked by the vast majority of websites, despite detailed legislation and the trend towards more ethical trading practices.

In any economic climate it makes sense to make sure your website is accessible to as many people as possible. During a recession this is even more critical when every last customer counts. Also, as mentioned above, investing during a time of recession can put you in a very good market position when all around you the competition is battening down the hatches and losing market share.

It might not be spend, spend, spend, but neither should you restrict your marketing budget during a recession. Marketing is critical during these difficult times, and a well-focused investment in your website can help to ensure both the short-term and future success of your company.

Contact Simius Web today to find out how we can help your business make the most of your website marketing efforts during recession. You can find our contact details here.

We take a holistic approach to websites as piece-meal approaches simply don't deliver: tackling search engine optimisation will not help you business if the design or content are wrong!

We work closely with our clients helping them to:

• drive visitors with white-hat/organic search engine optimisation
  
• identify the material they should be (and in some cases should not be) publishing to their website
  
• present that material for maximum impact
  
• make their site as usable as possible for their visitors
  
• make their site as fast as possible (see my other lens on "need for speed")
  

And once they have a great site - I help them keep it running efficiently and effectively through training, maintenance services and friendly consultancy advice.

If you would like a friendly consultancy that speaks your language, not technobabble, then get in touch today. We would like to make you one of our family of clients.

Visit us today at www.simiusweb.ie