I have a small business. Do I Need a Website?

I regularly see the question asked on social media; “Do I need a website?” often by people whose only online presence is Instagram or a Facebook page.

If you have a business, you betcha you need a website!

When you post on social media, advertising sites or directories, the platform owns your content. What happens if your socials get hacked or your accounts are closed by the social platform? Bye, Bye Business 😭

Your website is something that you can own and control.

Rather than writing great content for platforms, you can create content to bring visitors to your website, a marketing asset you own that should be the heart of your brand and online marketing.

Don’t hand over your great content and hard-earned dollars to premium advertising when you can spend those dollars on your own unique business website, brand and marketing strategy.

Yes, using Facebook or Instagram Ads is easier and takes less time but in the long run, it’s part of a marketing strategy but using it as your only strategy is a detriment to your business.

Why Do I need a website?

If an advertising site or social media platform disappears, how will clients find you?

Relying on 1 or 2 sites for all your advertising can be problematic and for many, it was an utter catastrophe!

A simple 1-page website with your name can be enough but if traffic from Google is what you would like, you will need to have a multi-page site that is regularly worked on. If you sell products in-store, why not have an online store?

A website also shows legitimacy and professionalism. When people are looking for services they often ask Google and if you aren’t on Google, you are missing out.

A website is also a tax deduction (always a plus) but more importantly, a website shows potential clients from all over the world the products and services you offer.

Business Website & Brand

By having your own unique website you attract the right clients

Show your personality, photos, services and pricing if you wish. Also, you can list your terms & conditions and have clients read them and agree to them before engaging your services

It’s your website so you can put whatever you wish! In the format you wish, the colours you like and the style you love.

Terms for things such as payment or deposits and other information can be clearly listed so there is no misinterpretation of how you operate.

Miscommunication can occur when you interact with a client but if you have a website you can make things very clear.

Your business website and brand help you stand out from the crowd and prove you are a legit business and in control of your own destiny!

If you need help with a new website or you would like to upgrade your current website please get in touch

As a small business owner, you know that credibility and word of mouth are vital to gaining and keeping new customers. Owning and maintaining a website is critical in fostering your credibility and enticing new customers to give you a chance over your competition. 

You may wonder “Why bother with a website when I have social media accounts?”

Social media alone is not enough to describe what you do and the value you bring to your potential customers. Social media fosters engagement with your audience and bolsters your relationship with your customers, but it is tangential to your marketing efforts, whereas your website is your best marketing asset. 

Why Your Business Needs a Website

Instant Credibility and a Chance to Grow Your Reputation

Your website gives you instant credibility with new customers.

On average, you have 8 seconds to wow a potential customer before they form an impression and either stay on your website or navigate away.

If your website design isn’t responsive, loads slowly, or doesn’t contain important, relevant information, the customer will move on.

Social media pages are important as satellite marketing tools but do not give you the ability to offer an engaging landing page that tells consumers exactly what they need to proceed into your sales funnel.

All channels should lead back to your website.

Your website is your home base, and it should contain information about who you are and what you offer. You should also have reviews or testimonials for your products and services available for consumers to scan, building trust and further legitimising your business easily.

Most online shoppers read several product reviews before making a decision, so having these available will help you grow your reputation.

Your Business Gains Visibility

If you don’t have a website and are relying solely on social media pages, some potential customers might think you’re not currently in business and others might not even find you.

At least half of all customers start their shopping journey via search engine searches and having a website available in search results is critical for visibility and creating a sense of legitimacy. To that end, proper search engine optimisation (SEO) tactics ensure that you are showing up in search results for your business category when your audience searches for terms related to your product or service niche.

Lower Advertising Costs

When prospective customers find you due to good SEO practices and word-of-mouth referrals, you spend much less money promoting your business.

Make use of your website by providing industry-related news and articles relevant to your audience. You can then use social media in conjunction with your website to promote yourself and engage with customers instead of paying for a TV commercial or print ads.

Customers Know Your Values

Customers can learn far more about your brand and your values from your website than via social media. Sharing these values directly via a thoughtful About Me page or even a dedicated Our Mission or Our Values page is vitally important to modern audiences who value connection with brands that align with their ethos and worldview. With a professional website, customers can put a face to your name and identify with you, they begin to build trust in your brand.

It’s Easier to Contact You

Customers appreciate multiple ways to contact businesses. Often, calling your business directly is inconvenient, especially for those who would rather fire off a quick email or hop in a live chat. Your website should include your address, telephone number, email, and an online form. Consider incorporating a live chat feature as well to capture data and follow up with potential and existing customers.

Expand Your Reach

You may typically serve your local community, but adding a website allows your business to become accessible to even more customers. More than two billion people shop online each year, and it’s essential to be where your customers are. Consider how many more customers you could reach if you offered the ability to shop online, or if you offered digital services beyond your local area. Hybrid shipping- and in-store-sales models are now becoming the norm, allowing local businesses to expand and fulfil the needs of markets all around the world.

Gain More Insight into Your Customers

A website provides you with a wealth of knowledge about your customers. Analytics can track clickthrough rates, bounce rates, heat maps, and more. You can also capture customer information via contact forms and email lists.

Promoting Your Business is Easier

Your website is your base of operations. From your site, you can promote your products with online ads, social media, and newsletters. Use SEO to gain higher search engine rankings and increase targeted traffic to your website. Promote yourself by offering discounts to those who subscribe to your newsletter or share social media content about your products or services.

Establish Your Brand in the Digital Space

Make a name for your business online by securing a URL with your business name. Your name is your brand, don’t miss out on having it as your domain so that customers can easily find you on the web. Add your website URL to all of your printed material so that customers always have a way to reach you when they are ready to make a purchase.

Easier to Attract Employees

If your business suddenly grows, it might be hard to find employees without a website.

A professionally designed website makes you look more legitimate, plus you can create a page that includes job postings and accepts resume submissions.

If you have all the job requirements and information posted on your website about job responsibilities and requirements, you’ll spend less time weeding out unqualified applicants. This can cut your hiring costs and lead time by a considerable margin.

I Make Web Design and Development Easy

I have been a web developer since the 90s and can help your business reach new heights with top-quality WordPress web development and website maintenance and care.

With over 30 years of web design and development experience, helping your business keep up with new designs, industry trends, and website maintenance will be a breeze. 

I hope you found my post helpful

Until next time