With Covid this year and Brexit last, we’ve really seen a change in how businesses perceive and use their websites.
On one hand we’ve seen customers batten down the hatches and put their websites on the back burner, usually those who use it just as a brochure or reference.
But on the other, we’ve seen many customers using their website as tool to gain customers and push their businesses forward despite the circumstances. These customers typically have the “do your worst, we’ll fight to the end” attitude.
For some this is nothing new as they have always used their website as a tool. Others are updating their website to pivot their business somehow; Some are new to this and simply asking “how can I use my website to get me customers?”; And a few are making preparations so that when they are open, and business is back to normal, they’ll hit the ground running and be in front of their competitors.
Obviously a big factor as to what can be done is the sector that a business is in, but we’ve definitely seen the positive and pro-active attitude of many business owners not only help them survive, but seen them thrive.
One example I know very well is us, Webbed Feet. When Covid hit in late March we were as worried as the next person, but in our team meeting decided to push forward, market as hard as ever, and most importantly, we stayed open (albeit from our homes).
Although we're lucky with our sector (web design and web development), it wasn’t as straight forwarded as it sounds, and we’ve had to invest in an infrastructure to make this possible, and get used to managing our projects remotely, but it’s worked!
We’ve also tweaked our offering; yes we still make websites and online shops, get them high up in search engines and all that malarky, but during lockdown we’ve realised more and more that many clients need to make what they have work.
So we’ve been pushing the fact that we can improve or market existing websites, no matter what they are built in or who built them.
We have been changing content, adding functionality, improving user journeys, integrating websites with other systems (eBay, Google, Amazon etc) and even finishing half-built websites… essentially adapting what clients have so that their website becomes a valuable tool to help them through these difficult times.
We’re also practicing what we preach, and are currently getting investing time in getting own website up to par and giving it a well-needed refresh... we’re just having to make the time!
2021 can’t be as bad as 2020, or at least we all hope so, and Christmas is only 12 weeks away… it’s coming up very quickly. So we’re already planning ahead to 2021 with our clients, and telling them that if they want to start 2021 with a ‘can-do’ attitude, and relaunch their business online in the new year, then now is the time to start planning it.
We’ve no idea what 2021 will bring and there will be some casualties in the business world, but it’s not taking us down!
Onwards and upwards
We are Webbed Feet, we’ll get through this, and hope you do too