Can a business operate without a website?

[Newmedia]

Is there any business that would have no use or benefit in having a website?

I know most will be biased on this area of the forum but honestly is there any type of business that could get away with not having one in this day and age!

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Yes, a market stall trader if he sells only through a market stall, then he would have no need. as clients wouldn't search for him. unless of course he was a branded stall.

The guys who wash your windscreen at lights don't need one either.

 

[gavcooper]

You should always have a reason(s) to build a website for your business and not just because everyone else has one. A website can validate your business in the eyes of a customer, giving them confidence in making a purchase with you.

 

[Newmedia]

Just to add, I don't think there is ANY business that wouldn't have some kind of benefit by having a website!

 

[gemd89]

Hairdresser? They would probably be better with a facebook page!

Gemma

 

[wecandobiz]

Hairdresser? They would probably be better with a facebook page!

Gemma

Good point. We are entering an age where those that don't have a website yet may be able to skip the need and go straight to social profiles. Interesting times!

 

[OldWelshGuy]

A rose by any other name

a website refers to any place online where information is being displayed by the owner. Now that can be a full on bespoke own url, a facebook page, a twitter account, myspace youtube etc. they are all websites, and if the person who benefits runs them, then they are just that.

We have a tourism site and a large proportion of clients have no web presence other than this site on our main site (subdomains) they make plenty from it, but I would argue with anyone who tried to say they don't have a website.

 

[MarcusMiller]

All business can benefit from a website but in some cases it is not always going to be a way that they make lots of money or a great tool for traditional inbound marketing like SEO.

At least a couple of clients have come to me with big ideas about search and what they want to rank for but sometimes, people just are not searching. Generally, this only occurs in pretty niche business sectors but it does happen.

That said, despite not being strong on search, there were lots of ways that we made the web work for the client by tieing it into their existing marketing drive, directing people to the site from a mailer to get a report or watch a video and grabbing their email address etc.

Also, if you are small, have no desire to expand and have regular work then, you may not need one or may not benefit from one.

Damn, so many big companies do the web so badly and get away with it after all so, maybe this whole internet thing is a just a big old fad and will be swept under the carpet soon - don't waste your money!

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Bill Gates actually said those very words. He said that the Web was a fad of no consequence

 

[Gord]

Friend of mine is a builder. Does house extensions etc.
His reputation is such ( built over 30 years ) that he is always booked up many, many months ahead and has been for as long as I can remember.
Actually turns customers away believe it or not.
Never had a website, doesn't need one.

 

[OldWelshGuy]

that is an individual though not a business (as in an industry type). Lots of people don't really need websites, your friend being one.

 

[dedwardp]

Personally I think that all businesses can benefit from being online in some way, even if just for the opportunity of increased exposure - where's the harm?

A lot of businesses may not need the top whack, all-singing e-commerce sites and so on, merely just a basic way of displaying their information but, nowadays, I think with so many businesses having an online presence it is worthwhile having something that people could come across, particularly if competitors are likely to.

It all helps, surely?!

 

[Jeff Knows]

They can operate, of course but it doesn't do any harm to have one.

Day by day more people do their local searching online. The next big search engine push is going to be results based on your location and the opinions of friends, sadly Facebook is leading the way.

Word of mouth is all well and good but it's not going to do you any harm to have your number pop up when the odd person searches "Builders - Roysten Vaseyton"

 

[Jonathan Senior]

Interesting discussion

Would you need a site if your CUSTOMERS weren't online?

Say you were a mobile hairdresser who solely did mobile to say old folks homes & sheltered housing.

 

[ecenica]

Managing a web hosting company, I would like to think every business large and small needs a website.

Even the smallest of "Business Card" single page sites with a logo and business email address is sufficient to present a professional image - and secure your online identity.

I think Facebook and Twitter compliment, rather than replace a website on your own domain name. Unlike Twitter and FB, you actually own the content on your website.

The last time I checked FB's terms declare they own anything you upload to their servers. Is this still the case?

 

[dedwardp]

Interesting discussion

Would you need a site if your CUSTOMERS weren't online?

Say you were a mobile hairdresser who solely did mobile to say old folks homes & sheltered housing.

A single page site for some online presence could still help to bring you to the attention of care homes who may have been looking for a new one though.

 

[Jonathan Senior]

A single page site for some online presence could still help to bring you to the attention of care homes who may have been looking for a new one though.

Touche - That moves the discussion along to "who is the customer?"

The person having the hair cut - or the care home ?

 

[MarcusMiller]

Interesting discussion

Would you need a site if your CUSTOMERS weren't online?

Say you were a mobile hairdresser who solely did mobile to say old folks homes & sheltered housing.

Obviously, if you were targetting such a niche market, then maybe you don't need one, but if most of your prospects may be dead in the next five years it would not hurt to be a little more forward thinking maybe.

You see, this is where most website thinking falls down. Sure, people may not be looking for you online, but you may still be able to leverage the internet in a useful way that helps you drive more business.

Using a salon as an example, maybe you collect email addresses from your customers when they come to the shop - a win a haircut sort of thing. Then, you build a list, or several lists based on the differing requirements of your customers. Then, if all of a sudden, you know that Jenni who does the perms is going to be sat on her bum with no customers all day a week friday you can send out a mailer to all of your regular perm customers offering a 25% discount for bookings taken in the next 48 hours.

You could do the same thing by SMS as well or better still, you could take a mobile and email and do both. Equally, maybe get them on your facebook / twitter etc (not sure if betty who comes in for a purple rinse every other friday is on twitter but you know what I mean).

Maybe you use the website to feature pictures of new do's or maybe you have videos showing some work or stylists in action.

There are always possibilities and ways to use the web, email, social etc to build credibility, get new customers, sell more to existing customers etc and I really believe that this should all just be part of one larger marketing plan. There is a tendancy with new things like SEO and social to reduce them down to individual parts and look at them seperately rather than seeing how they can be used to complement the existing marketing.

Equally, there are a huge number of silver surfers so maybe there are ways to reach out to the older folks. Has anyone built a social network for oldies yet, that could be an idea!

 

[Jonathan Senior]

Obviously, if you were targetting such a niche market, then maybe you don't need one, but if most of your prospects may be dead in the next five years it would not hurt to be a little more forward thinking maybe.

Leaving aside that we are, as a rule, an aging population and there will always be old people wanting their hair cut I think the key phrase here for the original question is niche market.

The web marketing 101 you outlined is OK BUT if I (as a customer) don't look online or don't have any real choice in the service I get - why would a business need a website.

 

[MarcusMiller]

That's exactly my point, I dont think that many businesses NEED a website, but thats not to say they would not benefit from using the internet one way or another. Hell, maybe if it is as simple as sending out a digital invoice via email, there maybe ways it could help.

To be fair, 99% of my work comes from referrals and existing clients and I am pretty much booked up till the middle of next year and managing my website is a burden on the back of 60 hour weeks so... do I even need a website?

Probably, it's a daft question after all, can't really sell internet services without a website else it may hit your credibility a little but...

Pro's and Con's for both sides of the argument but as a litteral answer to the question would simply be no, a business does not need a website.

 

[thecolorfulco]

Yes, a market stall trader if he sells only through a market stall, then he would have no need. as clients wouldn't search for him. unless of course he was a branded stall.

The guys who wash your windscreen at lights don't need one either.

Not true. I have produced many ecommerce websites for market traders, some of which make more money online then on there stall but keep the stall there as it pays for its self.

 

[Castlefit]

I think every business would benefit from a web site/facebook etc...... its better to be out there and stumbled across than not out there at all as it were.
facebook is free and there are websites that are free, like free webs etc

 

[pcproblems]

Interesting discussion

Would you need a site if your CUSTOMERS weren't online?

Say you were a mobile hairdresser who solely did mobile to say old folks homes & sheltered housing.

I know quite a few people in sheltered housing.. Just coz they're in their 80s doesn't mean that they're not computer users. My mum-in-law is 83 and alive and kicking on facebook

 

[thecolorfulco]

I think every business would benefit from a web site/facebook etc...... its better to be out there and stumbled across than not out there at all as it were.
facebook is free and there are websites that are free, like free webs etc

I agree and with Facebook as social networking is the future of marketing. I also agree these free webs are good enough if you cannot afford the benefits of a individual tailored website but not just as a website development/marketing business but as a online business and from the experience of others, I personally believe these free sites, like google's free business sites, they are terrible and won't benefit the business as much as a individual tailored website done by professionals and there is a lot of professional website building companys out there that will do it cheaper then what people believe, some of course charge too much but some don't and the benefit is greater in the long run.

For example I have built a ecommerce website for a market trader at the cost of £800, He told me he made that from the website within a year, I am friends with him and now know he makes over £3000 a year from the website. A great benefit from having a website.

Now for a non ecommerce website. I produced a website for a window cleaner who is also a friend of mine now, from analytics and tracking and the emails he has recieved from visitors to the site, he now gets over 80% of his work through his website, and he cleans windows.

Just to add, any website development company who don't provide SEO, Analytics or Tracking, plus additional Social Networking are a company that people should avoid, not so much on the social networking but the seo and analytics, plus avoid in my opinion companys that just advertise seo and analytics as there service as they will charge extortionate prices for something that the web development company should have provided for you. In my opinion of course, there may be some out there that will charge the right price, but not the ones I have come across.

 

[Jonathan Senior]

I know quite a few people in sheltered housing.. Just coz they're in their 80s doesn't mean that they're not computer users. My mum-in-law is 83 and alive and kicking on facebook

Never said the opposite

Interesting that the discussion has moved from the original question of

Can a business operate without a website

to

How almost every business can benefit from a website

NOT the same thing

 

[Newmedia]

Well which businesses can survive with no web presence whatsoever??

A lot of builders still have no website and corner shops might have no need for one but who else?

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Many livestock farmers would not need websites, and the same for most farmers unless they had a farm shop

Fishermen again who sell on the dock markets have no need

 

[alphanumeric]

A huge number of business could survive without a website, its not a required service, on the other hand every business would in some way benefit from a website/online presence.

ie corner shop could find being listed on google maps handy.
A builder could show past work and testimonials.

You will also find more and more local trades going on facebook, as people use it to find local services such as plumbers/builders etc.

This week alone i made 2 referrals to a local plumber and 1 to a garden / grass cutting type person, no one bothers with yellow pages anymore.

Just to add, any website development company who don't provide SEO, Analytics or Tracking, plus additional Social Networking are a company that people should avoid.

Sorry but what a load of BS. Whilst i design sites with SEO in mind i don't do it as a service, infact i always recommend a local guy who very good at it, jack of all trades master of none springs to mind.

 

[johndon68]

Say you were a mobile hairdresser who solely did mobile to say old folks homes & sheltered housing.

Which is exactly what my wife has been doing for 20 years with no website, whilst, as another poster mentioned, the customers may die, they are always replaced so there is no need to go looking for new customers, she's got more than enough work on...

John

 

[jumpingspidermedia]

Of course business can run without a website. But, honestly having a website has much benefit! Besides,those who don't have one..will surely make one!

 

[IndiCafe]

There are (sometimes sinister) profit-making organisations that don't want to be 'out there'.... don't want new customers or unknown prospects trying to buy their services. Introductions are only made via known and safe parties. Granted they are unusual, rare, and generally not in the public domain, but businesses nonetheless.
Illegal operations spring to mind. Corporate espionage, mafioso operations, certain 'private security' services contracted by high profile people or governments... publicity doesn't work for them