Why SMEs in Africa Need a Functional Website for Intercontinental Trade Opportunities
Wondering why SMEs in Africa need a functional website for intercontinental trade opportunities? This post explains the importance of a functional website for a small business.
The vision of every business is to achieve set goals and meet the demands of clients. It is also to create solutions peculiar to life challenges. Irrespective of the drive of a business, accomplishing more results with fewer resources is important. Today, we have digitization influencing our day-to-day activities. As such, every business regardless of size can be optimized as there are many opportunities to get on with.
Ecommerce enables businesses to trade goods and services over the internet. This can be done at various levels such as business-to-business, business-to-consumer, and consumer-to-consumer relationships.
Why Online Visibility is Important?
Is there a need to put your business online? Of course. Among many reasons, looking for the right audience is a major factor in running a business. This is because there are several audiences. As such, there is the need for a wider reach to find a niche in the market.
Businesses put themselves up online majorly through websites amongst social media platforms, Email strategies, and mobile apps techniques. It is important to set up a website for your business. However, you must ensure the website is functional and responsive.
Facts About Online Visibility and Reputation Management
- 98% of the audience expects to see visual structures that are appealing. Understand that your audience/viewers have needs for which they seek solutions. They would not appreciate unresponsiveness when in search of a solution.
- Gain is the bottom line of businesses. This can be in the form of financial profit and other business support.
- Competition exists in business. Your business may not be solid, it doesn’t stop the presence of competitors in the market.
Residing on the few facts expressed above, a functional business website goes a long way in running a business. The reason is that it produces multiple results.
On the business side, the cost of operating and managing a business website is minimal compared to setting up physical strategies of reaching the target audience and engaging market interaction. Less operational cost with effective results generates more revenue.
Why Social Media Presence is Not Enough
Posting on social media platforms is not sufficient to maximize the benefits of digitization in business. Social media may give publicity to your business. However, having a website that is effective is more beneficial as it creates an online presence for your business.
Having a website for your business gives your business the feel of trustworthiness. The integrity of a business is core in attributing organizational values both from the business team and clients. When a client gets introduced to your business and finds a center to get more resources on what your business entails creates a sense of credibility to what you do, hence, confidence to engage in your business. Furthermore, if the website is responsive, customer services available, and call-to-action prompt, the impression alone gives the viewer a level of satisfaction.
How A Functional Website Provides Significance
Having a website that showcases your business gives an opportunity to reach a wider customer base. Operating offline may not offer the same opportunity giving limitations to mobility, inter-relationships, and other factors.
A functional website helps look out for loopholes and monitor customer interaction. It also tracks customer patronage, fetches reviews, and gives insights into the business. These activities help in making business decisions in different areas. Some of these areas include finances, publicity, operation, customer relationship, potential areas in need of your business solutions.
Lastly, in a business, market augmentation is such that an expansion in the target audience or product line occurs. This is very much achievable when your business is online and has a website that is functional. The effectiveness of a business component has a way of rubbing on the choices of the market audience.
What is a Functional Website for SMEs like?
- A functional website for businesses has good content.
- The compatibility of the website to devices is necessary.
- Creative visual designs attract viewers and make them stay longer on the site.
- Only relevant information should be displayed.
- The website should be easily navigated.
Emmanuel Otori has over 9 years of experience working with 100 start-ups and SMEs across Nigeria. He has worked on the Growth and Employment (GEM) Project of the World Bank. Otori has also consulted for businesses at the Abuja Enterprise Agency, Novustack, Splitspot, and NITDA.
He is the Chief Executive Officer at Abuja Data School.
Read more about establishing and growing your business in Africa at SME360.
