Whether you're running a small enterprise or home-based business, having an online presence is important these days. Benefits of having online presence -- in this case, a "company website" not just profile on MySpace or Facebook -- goes beyond placing your company profile in a public venue. If you don't have a company website, you should consider having one.

So, why having company website is important?

There are approximately 1.5 billion world wide Internet users with about 3 millions users* are accessing from Singapore. With users demographics vary in term of age, place of residence, occupation, social and education background -- Internet provides you with opportunities to reach potential customers no matter what product or service you sell. And not only customers; your future business affiliates, partners and investors might find and learn about your business through company website.

Promoting your company through a website is much more cheaper than doing so on printed brochures and booklet. Domain name registration cost you about $10 per year, web hosting cost starts from $10 per month while one-time web designing cost you from just $500 or lower depending on design quality. Total same amount you spend on brochure or booklet will give you less marketing reach. Although I don't suggest you to build a website using free website builder service, many some businesses with very low budget started with these services.

Your business card is too small to place all information about your business; and so your company booklet and brochure. On the other hand, your website can always be expanded to include everything you need to tell about your business; from product or service information to job opening in your company. With open source content management system (CMS) like Wordpress and Joomla; plus broadband Internet access, updating website content is now as easy and as fast as updating file documents in your computer with word processor. This will be at your advantage when you need to immediately inform public about latest updates, upcoming events, etc. from your company.

In recent years, media used on the Internet has become richer than ever. Not only text and picture, now video broadcast and podcast have become alternative ways to deliver information to internet users. Imagine when you can record a video of product demonstration, upload it to company website and let people view it from their desk; you will save a lot of time and money introducing your product to the public. You can forget about door-to-door sales tactic, or inviting just limited number of people to watch your product demonstration.

Having a website means your business is open 24/7 and reachable round the clock. Even when you sleep, you can literally "sell" your product or service when your website provides customers with necessary information that help them to decide if the want to buy from you. It's possible that when you wake up tomorrow morning, you already have another customer!

Importance of Having Online Presence or Company Website