Famous Bloggers

5 Can’t-Deny Reasons Your Blog Should Accept Online Payments

Let’s be honest. People are surfing the information highway more and more these days. The 24/7/365 allure of Google, Bing, and other search engines allow people to have access to news, products, and services day and night.

That also means people are purchasing goods and services all day and night. Just look at Amazon, eBay, and other large e-retailers. The closed sign never illuminates, so the cash flow never ends either.

Where do you sit in that paradigm?

It’s time your company puts its best foot forward and joins the 21st century. It’s time to accept online payments, whether it’s using PayPal or a merchant account to process credit cards, debit cards, or mobile payments.

Open ‘round the clock’

By accepting online payments, your business and blog are available to meet the needs of your customers both nationally and internationally. The time zones know no bounds when it comes to Internet shopping, so why should your company?

Also, people surf the Internet when their schedules allow, which means that you need to put yourself in the best position possible to land the sale. Don’t make potential clients wait until 8 a.m. Monday to purchase your products.

Stay organized

Gone are the days of keeping a paper trail. Now, for better or worse, everything is electronic. A lot of companies’ books, payroll systems, and filing systems are backed up on servers, eliminating the use for paper. Online payments save a snapshot of every incoming and outgoing transaction. Thus, the customer is aware the payment went through, too, since an automatic receipt appears on the confirmation screen. Save your stamps because now there is nothing to put into the mail.

Improve cash flow

How many times has your company had to slow down on a project because of a lack of payment? Lost checks or the sloth-like speed of the postal service has tormented many businesses. By accepting online payments, your client can plug in his credit card number. Don’t wait for him to write a check, stick it in the mail, and then wait three to five business days for funds to be released.

There are even options to allow clients to sign up for automatic withdrawals, which allow you to better plan for the future.

It (usually) won’t cost any more

There are several ways to accept online payments, whether it’s through a merchant account, Internet gateway, or third-party provider. A merchant account can be opened with banks, online companies, or software providers.

If your business sells online-only, you need an Internet gateway service, which provides a way to get the credit card information from the customer to the merchant account. A third-party provider is a way for customers to use credit cards without you using a merchant account. The point? If your website accepts online payments, your blog usually won’t cost more (if anything) to set up.

Attract audience

Blogs are spots where companies are able to improve their SEO and searchability status. By writing solid content with the right search terms, it becomes easier for potential customers to locate you online. It’s often easier to find a company by its blog than by its actual website because of Google Authorship, a new algorithm.

If you’re promoting your services on your blog, include a plug at the end of your post (when it makes sense) to purchase a certain product or service. Remember to put the “buy now” link to make it as easy as possible for the consumer.

Ultimately, accepting online payments on your blog can only boost your company’s bottom line. Blogs are great places to add a purchase plug-in, particularly if the website already processes credit or debit card payments.

With a website and blog, you’ve jumped into the World Wide Web. Make an imprint by accepting online and mobile payments, too.

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