The internet has come a long way in the last twenty years in its ability to rapidly distribute information to people around the world. Many businesses have found success in establishing an online presence -  with a website, social media accounts, or both - but not every business (contracting or otherwise) feels like they need to do this in order to do well.

In this first of a two-part series about how establishing an online presence adds value to your contracting business, we are looking at three ways creating a website are beneficial.

A website helps to establish credibility with potential customers.

There is no doubt that one of the best ways to build trust and establish credibility with potential customers is by getting your contractor's license. Another thing potential customers may expect you to do is establish a website with information about who you are, what you do, and how to get in contact with you. If they cannot find you online, they may not believe you exist. A contractor's license and a website combined will go a long way towards telling customers you exist and that they can trust you.

A website makes it easier for potential customers to find you instead of your competition.

The internet makes information available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to anyone searching for it online. Use a website to make any and all information you want to share about your contracting services easily accessible to your target audience - everything from the type of work you do to the best ways to connect with you. It will give you a leg up on the competition that has yet to create their own website. Depending on how yours is set up, it may also put your name in front of customers searching for the type of contracting work you do before competitors with websites of their own.

Website analytics give you valuable information about your potential customers.

A website will not only give potential customers information about you, but collect data about them for you. This data can tell you who is visiting your site, where they are visiting from, and even the keywords they used if they did an internet search. It is a treasure trove, and the ways this data can help you grow your contracting business are endless.

While there are many more ways a website can add value to your business, these are three of the most important. Stay tuned for the second part of this series, where we explore the ways social media accounts can be valuable for your contracting business.