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You could be hoping to create a website for your business or upgrade your existing website to allow for more functionality but are not sure what a database is all about or how it can help your business. But worry not, as this post highlights four essential things every website owner should know about databases.
1) Databases Make Updating Content Much Easier
A database is a must-have if you update your website’s content daily.
To illustrate, take the example of a newspaper. Newspapers publish several articles by different authors daily.
Instead of editors redesigning their website’s layout daily, they create distinct indexed pages for every section on a database where they enter written content, photos, and author information. The webmaster then automatically processes the data allowing the end-user to see the data as a webpage on their end.
So with such a database, you do not have to redesign the layout of your web every time you need to post new content. You only need to enter relevant data on proper database sections, making your job much easier.
2) It’s a Must-Have for E-Commerce
All successful e-commerce-based websites rely on databases. Instead of rearranging your e-commerce website, every time you want to add a new product or update inventory, you enter your data in an indexed page preset to display content and products in a particular way.
Additionally, when a customer clicks on a product for more details like a product description, the server-sided software pulls the information from the database, ensuring uniformity in customer experiences.
A database also helps in tracking inventory. Once a customer makes a purchase, the item is subtracted automatically from the inventory, allowing you to know when to restock and letting the customer know when the item is out of stock.
3) They Help Manage Customer Data and Relationships
Today’s business runs on customer data. The more of it you can collect, the better the insight you will have into your audience, allowing you to tailor your marketing efforts toward meeting your audience’s expectations.
A good database should gather potential customers’ contact information, interaction history, and the stage they are in their buying journey. A database can also help you collect feedback from your audience through short surveys or feedback forms.
Happy or disappointed customers have one thing in common, they like talking about it. So if your audience is pleased with your offerings, they may be willing to take a short survey on request or give feedback. If they are unhappy, they will also be willing to let you have a piece of their mind. That way, you learn about your audience’s experiences which can help you improve.
4) You May Need a Database Optimization Tool
Glitches and anomalies in your databases can cause many problems and result in losses. While fixing glitches the manual way is possible, it can cost you much time and money.
Fortunately, leveraging database optimization tools is an excellent way to detect and fix anomalies before they become full-blown problems that could cost you a lot.
Not only do database optimization tools help catch and fix problems, but they also help you monitor performance issues such as user query wait times and allow insight into your database metrics.
If you are looking for reliable database optimization and analyzing tool, look no further than this tool by SolarWinds, which is trusted by thousands of website owners in America. The best thing about it is that it includes a 14-day trial, so you can test it before putting your money in it.