Respond to 2 student initial posts, replies must add to the discussion

STUDENT 1: Ben

In today’s society with how attached people are to their technology, only having a website may not be enough for a business. Consumers want to be able to constantly be ‘in the know’. They want to know the second something is happening or changing and they can’t get that with just a website. Of course a company should definitely have one but they should also have other things too. For example, they should also have a blog or a newsletter to let their customers know about upcoming events and such. The most important thing any business should have (maybe more important than a website) is social media accounts. A business should have a Facebook, Instagram, or a twitter. Better to have all three! That is the quickest way to let them know of events or changes. That’s how a company has a web presence.

The most important thing and the main reason to have a web presence is to be seen by consumers. Businesses want to be seen and constantly have new and potential customers looking at them and what they offer. The easiest and fastest way for that to happen is through technology (web presence). The greatest risk would have to be getting bad and negative reviews online because then all of the businesses’ customers could see it. Sometimes one, or a couple, negative reviews can ruin a business. Another risk would be not knowing how to deal with the businesses’ web presence. Some owners may not realize that having a web presence is another job altogether. They have to know how to respond to customers and when to. its not easy but when a business has a good and strong web presence they usually do well.

References:

(2010).”4 Elements of a Successful Business Web Presence”. Mashable. www.mashable.com

(2013).”The Importance of Web Presence for Small Businesses”. Simply Business. www.simplybusiness.com

STUDENT 2: Christian

Having an online presence is vital to businesses, especially in this century. Everyone looks online before deciding if they want to go somewhere. People want to see a visual of the business, it helps them understand who that business is and if it will meet their needs, (Leinbach-Reyhle, 2014). However, there is a such thing as a bad website and that is far worse than no website. The way in which we operate has changed with the growth of technology, so companies must adapt with that change as well. The website should have basic information, contact information, services offered, about me section, reviews, and pictures, if it applies to the service. Social media is also huge, when looking for restaurants or services, I want to know if they have social media. Social media is where a lot of truth can be found as it pertains to customer reviews, pictures, and social following.

The single most important objective when creating web presence, is attracting customers. Businesses would want to make sure the website is appealing to new customers as well as old customers. Periodically updating as times and trends change. Web presence also helps build relationships and build a reputation.

The greatest risk posed to companies using online presence is fraud and security. People are crafty and it’s no way to verify that the person is who they say they are, the card being used may be stolen or it could be the child of the card owner and they did not have permission to use the card. Security breaches is also a hot topic because it happens too often, scammers and hackers eventually figure out how to get into companies’ databases. Most companies probably don’t have super secure systems in place such as a bank would, and even that isn’t always secure.

References:

Leinbach-Reyhle, N. (2017). Forbes Welcome. Forbes.com. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicoleleinbachreyhle/2014/09/29/websites-for-small-businesses/#3f4f349e2026