What a Business Website Can Do For Your Business Whatever the Size
What a business website can do that a Facebook page cannot. When it seems that social media rule the Internet, you might ask yourself, “Do I need a website?” The answer is yes, and I’m here to tell you why.
In 2019, 70-80% of people were researching companies online before visiting it/making a purchase, and the same percentage of customers could be lost to small businesses without a website.
In addition when the world suddenly required more online presence than real-life presence the following year, having your own website became even more crucial.
There aren’t many businesses that can survive without a Web presence and there’s no reason not to have a website. Your company’s website can be a highly effective marketing tool that can be very cost-efficient.
There are quite a few benefits, and very few downsides.
I have my business on Checkatrade, will that be enough?
Put simply, No! See why here
If you’re not convinced yet, and you’re curious about the advantages of websites over social media profiles, read on! Here are five ultimate reasons why you need a website in 2024.
1. Having a website makes you look professional and increases trust.
Most people don’t trust a business without a good website. A clean, modern page that is regularly updated and pops up in search engines is an instant credibility boost. What a business website can do for you, is that potential customers will trust you more and have all the information they need in one place. In a digital age, we expect businesses to have a web presence. Credibility is one of the most important things a business needs. That is what a business website can do for your business regardless of its size.
Even the smallest local business or organization needs a website–from a simple one page site for a mom and pop shop to a full website for a local church congregation.
Anyone can easily create a Facebook page or an Instagram account with fake data, your name/handle, and the profiles may look identical to yours. So, a professional business website legitimizes your company in ways no other social media channels would.
And if you don’t have a business as such and you’re considering creating a place for your portfolio, to show off your work, or something that represents yourself to send to recruiters when looking for a job – there’s not a more professional way to stand out from the crowd than having a personal website.
2. A business website will bring you more customers and increase conversions.
Well-optimized websites, a speciality of Websitze, can pop up on the first page of Google search attracting new customers that weren’t looking specifically for you but were just researching a topic. There’s a much bigger chance of someone ‘stumbling upon’ your website than a social media profile.
Also, comparing you and any competing business or offer is easier when all the parties involved have a professional website.
If you invest in Google Ads or Facebook Ads, you can direct the traffic straightway to your website. On the page, your leads will have all the details to make an informed purchase, and a call-to-action to motivate them.
Pages with built-in popup forms and web push notifications encourage website visitors to stay in touch and come back.
A website is available 24/7, every day of the year, from anywhere around the globe – that makes your business stay on customer’s minds even after business hours. Websites broaden your reach, and promote you without a break.
3. Creating your own website is much easier and less expensive than you expect.
If you believe that to create a stunning website, you need to be a tech-savvy expert of web design, or have a team of engineers and a professional web designer on speed dial – I’m happy to say – you’re wrong!
However, a major word of caution. A poorly designed website can have the opposite effect to what you are trying to achieve. A bad website reflects badly on your business too.
If you choose a local professional website designer like Websitze, you can have a high quality, low monthly cost website built fast and configured to your own business needs. Websitze do everything for you from domain name purchase to hosting with a highly professional website build tailored to you.
4. A website gives you full control over the medium.
There are two sides to this reason. The first is your freedom of expression on a website.
You can’t customize your social media presence to the same extent. All your assets have to be the same format as everybody else’s. If you really want to stand out, a website from Websitze is the answer.
The absolute design freedom gives you an opportunity to present your brand in a unique way and showcase its voice and personality.
The control over your image on a webpage isn’t only about the graphics and layout. You decide what to put out there, so if you have any cool online reviews, customer testimonials, videos, etc., they can all share the space on your site.
If you have a gallery or a portfolio, this is also a chance to display it in a creative way. You can redesign and change anything on a website any time you want.
The other side of ‘full control’ is that a webpage is your owned media. You don’t have to follow the ever-changing rules of social platforms, and while the platforms themselves come and go (remember MySpace?) your website can stay in business forever.
Also, any Internet user can engage with your website without creating an account.
5. Websites are the centre of all marketing efforts.
What a business website can do is be the first place where potential customers interact with you and learn about your business.
It can also be where they land on last, to make a purchase, because they were redirected from an email, a Facebook ad or an Instagram post.
Maybe they want to receive your emails, and that’s why they visit your site – to sign up.
Someone driving by your facilities clicks the pin on Google Maps, which directs them to your website with pricing or menu.
They might have typed your URL into their browser from a physical business card. Or, after watching your YouTube video they ‘clicked the link in the description below’ to get a coupon code for your new online course.
What a business website can do is concentrate all your marketing efforts, no matter if your business is operating online or offline, everything should sprout from and lead to your own, stunning and informative webpage.
Campaigns are also easier to manage when everything is interconnected and the common denominator is a website. So, having a website is a priority and the first step to success.
What a website can do is also build trust. The credibility angle we have already discussed, but people need reassurance when using your services and a professional website will give you that.
Common Concerns and Questions About Small Business Websites
Now you know what a business website can do, it’s natural to have questions and concerns about setting up a website.Cost is a common one. Beyond an up-front fee to design the website, the ongoing costs can be minimal. When considering the long-term benefits a website will provide, the cost to design a good website should be well worth it. Other concerns often relate to a business not being web-oriented or that it wouldn’t sell goods online. The answer to these concerns is that a business website can provide so many more benefits. Establishing trust, strengthening your brand, forging better customer relations, and informing a wider group of people about your business’s capabilities are all key benefits. Another common concern is that you don’t have much content to add for frequent updates or you don’t have time to blog.The short answer is that you don’t need to.Sure, more activity and frequently refreshed content can generate more interest, but any Web presence is probably better than none.Once you have a basic website, you can always add to it, as your business and resources grow and Websitze will be there to help and guide you.