What we’re talking about
Over the past few months we’ve been talking about the same subject again and again to clients – that is viewing their online presence as a strategic business asset.
If you look up the definition it says
An asset is a resource controlled by the entity as a result of past events and from which future economic benefits are expected to flow to the entity
We’re not accountants so why are we talking about assets?!
…because we think there’s a lot to be learnt from thinking about your online presence precisely as one:
1. Your online presence needs to work for you
Firstly it needs to work for you in terms of bringing in sales or bookings or whatever your business is about – if it isn’t, why isn’t it? There should be no such thing as a business card-only website – it must be doing something.
Secondly it needs to work for you by working with you – it should be easy to use and update – it should be making you efficient, not sapping your time.
2. It needs regular care
For a moment think about another business or personal asset – a company vehicle or your own car.
Benefit – you use it to get from one place to another, sometimes with a passenger or carrying goods.
Each day you use it you should check the tyres are ok and headlights are working
Every week you may fill it with fuel – to help you get to places.
Once or twice a year you get it serviced
Every year you get it taxed and insured against accidents and theft.
And once in a while you might wash it!
Your website or online presence really isn’t much different is it…?
3. It needs to be safeguarded
A few months ago the internet was hit by a hacker exploit that affected literally millions of websites across the world.
We got lots of calls…
Why? Because a lot of websites hadn’t been updated regularly. A small amount of people were just unlucky but for most their website hadn’t received regular care…
It was a wakeup call for us here too – we’re being more pushy with clients to make sure either we or they are actually taking care of it, because there is no point having spent money on a new website or online marketing campaign to find it in tatters a few months later…
4. You need to keep track of it
So many people don’t monitor what’s happening with their various online activities – but then how can you tell whether your investment in your website, email campaign, twitter stream or online advertising is working for you?
How many visitors are you getting? Where are they coming from? What are they interested in? How many people opened a particular email? What is your conversion rate?
Conclusion
In times of austerity its a timely reminder to look after our assets and make our investments work for us.
For your website
- Make sure it is bringing in business: more leads, more bookings, better awareness… something!
- Make sure you have control of your assets and it’s easy to use.
- Invest something in regular care: site content updates, new images, database and source code backups
- Get it secured. Monitor for changes. Don’t get caught out…
- Monitor progress and performance, make changes – improve.
If you’d like to talk about your business asset schedule a free consultation with us.