In a world heavily dependent on technology and the Internet, it may be hard to believe there are still businesses that do not have an online presence. However, especially in Ohio’s small business community, the majority of the industry is still hesitant to join the World Wide Web.
According to a Google survey of businesses with less than 250 employees in June 2011, 54 percent of Ohio businesses do not have a website. In comparison, 58 percent of businesses across the United States do not have a website.
It may not seem like a big deal, until you consider that businesses using the web are expected to grow 40 percent faster than those that don’t, according to a report from the Boston Consulting Group in March 2012. In addition, 97 percent of Internet users look for local goods and services online, according to an ongoing consumer tracking study by BIA/Kelsey.
For this reason, companies like Lantz Star Graphics in Shelby have been working to help local businesses get online. Designer and President Natalie Lantz said even for smaller businesses to have a “business card” presence on the web with just a few main details like a phone number and location, it’s important for that information to be available.
“Everybody is carrying a smart phone and tablet anymore so if [a business] has that, that’s a quick hit for them,” said Lantz. “We’re not carrying phone books and whatnot in our car, that information is right there in the palm of your hand, so if you do a search and you’re not finding what you need it’s more complicated.”
According to a Google study, three out of four smart phone users have contacted a business they found using their phone. Senior designer Rochelle Zuercher said the analytical research done at Lantz Start Graphics shows about half of the traffic to a website comes from mobile devices.
“Say you’re out on the road and you’re trying to find a place, and you’re on your phone and you’re searching for it and [the place] doesn’t have a website, a lot of times that’s how people are finding where [a business] is located based on the website,” said Zuercher.
Since the company’s creation in 2002, Lantz said her clients’ needs are constantly changing as the face of the web changes.
“Some clients we did a site for ten years ago we’ve redone a couple times not just for a facelift or a new look, but on the back end and how it’s coded and whatnot as well,” she explained. “Ten years ago it was nice just to have a website but anymore, social media plays a big part especially with search engine optimization, and everything ties together.”
When starting a new website for a client, Zuercher said the designers take the client through a questionnaire to figure out what their needs are, then take that information and think of ways to utilize the website for the client in ways they might not have originally thought of. Every website is customized per client, whether it be a three to five page site with just the basic information versus a 55-page site with products and online ordering forms.
“We do want to put a good, quality site together for somebody, we want to help them grow, not just put a bunch of template sites together,” said Lantz. “We’re more into a custom-designed site specifically branded for each business and really working with them on their content and getting a good site out there for them.”
Lantz Star Graphics has completed websites for clients all over the country, but as part of the Richland Community Development Group they noted they do like to push for local businesses. Client success stories include a local catering company whose website has helped people from all over the country plan events in the Shelby area, and a wholesale company from Sandusky that grew from 500 products to 20,000 products sold online, now celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Lantz said many times designers help a company get started with their website before letting them continue on their own, such as with the website of Richland Newhope.
“That was a fun one because we’d go over to meet with them and we were able to work with their entire team and they were very passionate, and that’s the type of team in business we really enjoy working with,” said Lantz. “We want to know what do you do, what’s special about you, what’s unique about your business, what’s going to help sell your business to the customer.”
Even if a small business stars out with just a couple pages on their site, Lantz Star Graphics designers continue to work with the business on the site’s upkeep and growth in order to help the business be successful on the web.
“You can’t just put a site out there and be done with it; we want to put quality content out there but keep updating it as Google and other search engines change their algorithms and you need to stay on top to make sure they’re going to keep finding the pages,” said Zuercher. “Information is very important not just to your clients and how they see their business, but for who’s searching for it and what information they’re looking to find. How does a user want to find you, what do they need to see and what do they need to find when they’re looking at your site? We try to help them that way.”
“We’re more into a custom-designed site specifically branded for each business and really working with them on their content and getting a good site out there for them,” said Natalie Lantz.
