When discussing the value of property, it usually doesn’t take long before someone brings up the quote often attributed to Mark Twain:  “Buy land; they’re not making it anymore.” I’m a big fan of Mr. Clemens, and, in a lot of ways, this quote holds true. However, this quote was born from a time long before the internet. The World Wide Web was invented in 1989, and from that point forward, new property has been constructed daily. Now, almost three decades later, most people are not recognizing their own websites for what they really are:  digital property and cyber real estate. For a quick reference to the value of this property, consider the fact that in 2010 the domain name CarInsurance.com sold for just under $50 million. If you don’t think your digital property has value, think again.

Getting more out of your website starts with a better understanding of what it is and what it’s not. A common mistake is for people to simply view their websites as business cards. Your web presence should function more like a building than a billboard. And while it can be a great marketing tool, don’t forget that it’s also the market itself. Let’s start with three ways you can begin to reframe your perspective.

EXPECTATION

As any successful brick-and-mortar business knows, your customer-facing property should be designed with the consumer in mind. Today’s internet audience is as savvy as ever, if not a little spoiled; they have certain expectations when it comes to user experience. There’s a reason that the national average for the annual salary of a UX Designer is almost $100,000. The digital age has compounded the competition in the recruiting and staffing industries. Contemporary clients and candidates have a lot more options at their fingertips. Even established firms with strong reputations realize there is a responsibility to deliver their clients and candidates with a website that meets their expectations.

ENGAGEMENT

A website will never be a substitute for personal interaction. We get it. We agree. But there was a time when an email would never be a substitute for a phone call, but how many brief phone calls have you been able to avoid because of the ability to communicate instantly through email? Several, I’m sure. And there was a time when a phone call would never be a substitute for face-to-face interaction, but how many clients and placements have you made without ever personally meeting the individuals involved. It’s time to stop limiting your ability to engage with your audience because of your misperceived notions about the purpose of the technologies involved.

EASE

We won’t go back through the laundry list of great technological advancements that have improved recruiting and staffing services, expediting the workload and increasing placements. Ultimately, from the first stone tool to the latest software, technology’s purpose is to make us more productive while also allowing us to work a little less. Just as physical buildings have continually added elements to improve efficiency, digital properties too have evolved over the last 29 years, striving for aesthetics and engineering that makes everything easier for both those hosting and promoting the site to those visiting. Your website should make life easier for you, but it should definitely make things easier for your clients and candidates.

Whether you already own a domain or have yet to secure your own piece of digital property, the value inherent is far greater than you may realize. If there was ever a piece of prime real estate, it would be the front page of Google. With the right focus and efforts, you can compete for that space right along with firms that are much larger and wield much more extensive resources. Additionally, you can establish a digital property that is as functional and attractive as any of your competitors.

At Recruiters Websites, we’re not interested in turning websites into digital business cards. We want to help our clients build a web presence that has a purpose. From design to integration, our goal is to help maximize the potential of your digital property; building a site where you can interact and engage with more clients and candidates, thus making more placements.