New website program designed to help small businesses survive

SANDPOINT — With an unprecedented COVID-19 surge predicted and no more financial relief in the pipeline from the government, 2021 could see the ruin of many local small businesses.

But not if a sophisticated, affordable business-boosting program has its way.

Hagadone Media Group is offering website builds or rebuilds at a 25 percent discount for the month of December only.

“It makes even more sense for owners because they can use this program as a 2020 business expense for tax purposes,” said Bill Davis, publisher of the Bonner County Daily Bee.

Davis emphasized that with in-person business being seriously hurt by the coronavirus and a widely distributed vaccine unlikely until next spring or summer at the earliest, more people than ever are using the internet to find the products and services they need.

"This is the perfect time for businesses to help their customers and bring in new ones, and an excellent website accomplishes that," he said.

Davis said there’s an easy way to tell if a website needs an overhaul.

“According to our expert digital strategist Danny Moering, a good rule of thumb is that if your website is older than your phone, it's time to replace it,” he said.

Whether the business has a website that needs an upgrade or has no website at all, Moering said it’s a mistake to rely only on a Facebook page or other social media to drive business.

"Having a Facebook page is a great start, but then we get into the difference between traffic that you pay for and influence and traffic that you own,” he said. “With Facebook, you don't own the traffic that comes to your page. You're always going to be at the mercy of Facebook. With a website, you can own that traffic. We can build info-capturing devices in your website to obtain a user's email address (as well as other valuable data) to bring them into your business's digital ecosystem. Then you don't have to pay Facebook to try and connect with that user. That's just one of the many benefits of having a well-designed website."

A website build takes on average 4 to 7 weeks, Moering said.

Davis noted that the website building program is the third major effort by Hagadone Media to help local businesses not only survive the pandemic, but thrive despite it.

“Our efforts started when we printed big take-out signs for area restaurants in April,” he said. “Then Clint Schroeder, regional publisher for Hagadone Media Group, created the Grant Program, matching advertising dollars and doubling businesses' purchasing power. Now we have this — just in time for a discount, a tax credit and a prosperous new year."

For more information or a free business consultation, contact Danny Moering, dmoering@hagadonemedia.com, 208-295-0979. If you want to learn more, go to https://hmg-yearendevent.webflow.io/