The COVID pandemic has brought everyone’s business to a standstill. Although lockdown restrictions have started to ease out, still it’ll take a whole lot to build the momentum of the business again from scratch. The Internet can be a life-saver for those who are struggling from a COVID-driven recession.
Websites and web applications have the potential to turn this crisis into a COVID-driven innovation. A new study suggests that lockdown has led to a 30% spike in data consumption. People are using smartphones to buy groceries, clothes, medicines, or to attend meetings on zoom, and to work from home. That’s why it’s necessary to leverage this platform for business growth.
Importance of website
- 1. 24/7 Accessibility – Physical stores and businesses don’t necessarily have the feasibility and manpower to operate 24/7. Even if they do, it’s not a cost-effective strategy to start right after a COVID pandemic. URL websites make sure your brand is 24/7 available and accessible to the customers. Make sure that the website includes all the necessary details like contact number, office address, and email id are visible enough.
- 2. Brand recognition – Placing your brand on the internet through URL websites is highly efficient. Even if the physical stores are not working at full strength or even if you’re forced to cut your workforce, websites will make sure that your brand is recognized digitally. This makes it a crucial component for the survival of your business in a crisis.
- 3. Digital marketing – Having your own website will help you immensely to pitch your brand to the digital audience. Social media marketing is a very trending topic these days. You can create pages and accounts of your brand on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etc to make people aware of your services. You can place ads on social media to generate the required awareness among the general digital audience.
- 4. Customer Feedback – It’s absolutely crucial to establish two-way communication with customers to grow your business. The design of your website should be user-friendly, easy to scroll, and readable. Make sure to include the phone number, customer chat section, and e-mail id to make it look less rigid. This will help build belief and trust among your customers which will help in the growth of the brand in the long run.
- 5. Competition – Websites help you remain competitive and up-to-date in the cutthroat competition of the business world. One of the major goals of the business is to gain customers from all spheres of life. It is crucial that no opportunities are missed and are gained by the competition, especially now that so many businesses are online.
Types of Websites in 2021
- 1. Blog websites – These are basically online journals or informational pages that are regularly updates. A blog can cover topics related to travel tips, education tips, movies, finance, news opinions, etc.
- 2. Corporate – These websites serve to promote businesses.
- 3. Ecommerce – These are basically the online stores that allow you to take online payments for products and services.
- 4. Portfolio – These websites exist to display and promote previous works.
- 5. Brochure – These websites exist to promote businesses. It also works as a business card for customers.
- 6. Crowdfunding – These websites exist to collect fund for project or a specific cause. Small amounts of money are donated by people.
- Other types include – Social Media, News and magazines, educational, medical, etc.
Importance of Web Applications
- 1. Improved efficiency – Web applications are extremely efficient to market your brand to the audience. Applications send regular updates and notifications to make people aware of the brand. Searching through web browsers like Chrome, Bing, Safari, etc is comparatively time- consuming than just scrolling through a web application. Applications have better features and appearance which make them immensely user-friendly and easy to use.
- 2. Enhanced customer support – applications have enhanced customer support features to tackle any barrier in communication. Applications are built for the sole purpose to enhance brand visibility and customer support to better understand the concerns of the customers. It helps to build trust and loyalty which benefits the brand in long run.
- 3. Personalization – Web apps allow owners to personalize the design according to the needs and concerns of customers. Brand owners can introduce services/requests based on the need of customers during a crisis like the COVID pandemic. Awareness campaigns and exclusive discounts can be introduced very efficiently and innovatively.
- 4. Monetization – web apps usually have better, enhanced, fast, and sustainable engagements. It also pays off handsomely if monetized through advertisements, subscriptions, membership fees, etc. Apps have the capability to update without customer engagement.
- 5. Competitive edge – since web application has better features and user experience, it also helps to rank your brand higher in the competition list. Persistent and sustainable engagement with customers makes it extremely beneficial.
Types of Web Applications in 2021
- 1. Static web apps – These are the most basic type of web applications which are created using HTML and CSS. There’s no real space for movement or creativity in these type of web apps. Videos and Gifs can support in these apps.
- 2. Dynamic Web Apps – These are more complex than static ones. These hold vast amount of information and databases. You can easily design the contents according to your preferences.
- 3. E-commerce Apps – These apps act as online stores for businesses. It is also one of the most popular web apps. It also supports online transaction and therefore it’s more complex than others.
- 4. Portal Apps – These apps have many categories or options in its home page.
- 5. Animated Web Apps – These apps work on Flash technology to work as animated. This makes it even more complex and complicated.
Conclusion:
A business owner needs to match the demands and interests of customers in the corona times to ensure that the website is relevant, up-to-date, competitive, and user-friendly. This is exactly the time when you need to innovate and modify your operating abilities to complement the desires, expectations, needs, and interests of people.