Does my business need a website? You might be asking yourself, if your company has made it this far without one. If my company is already successful without one, what’s the point?
In a nutshell, there has never been a better or more crucial time to spend money on a website for your company.
For small businesses, having a website offers a wide range of advantages, many of which grow exponentially in value over time, much like the Internet itself. Therefor it is not the question “does my business need a website” it is “can i afford not to have one”
Not persuaded?
Ten of the greatest advantages that even a basic website can provide for your small business have been compiled by us.
Does my business need a website? Having a Website Makes you Look Credible
84% of consumers today believe that having a website gives your company more credibility than businesses with merely social media pages.
Additionally, your website is the ideal spot to display any accolades or professional credentials that your company may have.
Additionally, if you’ve previously conducted business using a personal email address, having your own website enables you to create a branded email address (such as dianna@yoursite.com), which adds professionalism to all of your correspondence.
Additionally, using personal email addresses is no longer permitted with several email marketing solutions.
As a result, you will require a business email account if you wish to benefit from the effectiveness of email marketing.
Google might bring new visitors to your website.
Although you might be content with how big your company is right now, every firm endures a change in its clientele.
You must draw in new clients to ensure continuing success, and one of the greatest ways to do this is by increasing your online visibility on Google.
Although Google indexes social media networks and makes social media posts searchable, a website offers you access to a much wider range of SEO tools and tactics (SEO).
And SEO is the secret to getting your company to show up on Google’s home page.
Although the term “search engine optimization” may seem frightening, it is actually quite straightforward in reality.
You add keywords and phrases associated with your company into a keyword research tool to see which ones are most popular on Google. Then, you create content centered on those phrases.
Each piece of content should typically be targeted at a distinct keyword so that as your site’s content library expands, it can rank for more search terms.
There are numerous great SEO plugins for WordPress that make this simple to perform without any prior experience.
You are able to display your goods and services clearly.
By using high-quality pictures on your website, you can demonstrate to potential clients what they can expect from working with you.
Additionally, you may use the featured photographs and the layout of your website to help visitors imagine what it would be like to visit your actual place.
This is especially effective if your brand is intimately connected to the “feel” of your setting. Works well for restaurants, pubs, guesthouses and hotels.
To ensure you’re drawing in the proper clients, you may also include crucial information about your goods and services on your website.
To let customers with Celiac disease or other diseases that make gluten dangerous know they can dine in your restaurant, for instance, you might wish to mark any gluten-free products on your menu.
You can prominently feature your website’s best customer feedback and testimonials.
A smart strategy to generate social proof is to prominently display your finest reviews and/or testimonials on your website.
Personal client testimonials are one possible way to accomplish this.
You can also highlight any newspaper or well-known local blog articles that mention your company.
Making a permanent archive is a side benefit of posting your top evaluations on your website.
This implies that you will still have access to your finest reviews even if independent review websites fall down in the future.
A website may entice users to get in touch with you.
A website is an excellent way to give visitors easy access to your contact information.
You may even publish your contact information so that it shows in the top or footer of every page.
Modern website builders also make it simple to establish a contact form, which can shield your company email from spam (more on that in a moment).
You may incorporate Google Maps into your website to make it easier for customers to discover you.
A website lets you embed maps directly into your content.
People who don’t spend a lot of time in your neighborhood can easily find your company thanks to an embedded map. This is especially advantageous if you offer events because they might draw customers who otherwise wouldn’t visit the area where your company is located.
Your online presence sets your position in your sector.
In 2021, 81% of consumers conducted internet research before making a purchase, while 71% of small firms had websites. In other words, if your rivals are present online and you are not, they will engage clients first.
Making a website gives you a platform to explain what your company does, define your position in the market, and develop connections with clients.
Making and maintaining a website is no longer scary.
Without any coding experience, you can create an appealing, mobile-friendly website with tools from Squarespace and Wix. Even the most widely used website creation tool, WordPress, has switched to a block editor:
In other words, building an effective, beautiful website has never been easier.
How to use WordPress to create a website: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/wordpress-website
A website ensures your long-term success.
Nearly 4.66 billion individuals (or 59.5% of the world’s population) were online as of January 2021.
That sum is far higher in many nations.
For instance, more than 90% of individuals in the US use the internet.
Your company is completely invisible to these customers without a website.
If you don’t invest in a website as we move farther into the digital era, your company will be lost to the public.
Therefore, your company needs to go online if it wants to remain competitive in this increasingly digital environment.
All of these advantages are accessible without breaking the bank.
Not only is it simpler than it always was to build a website, but it is also less expensive.
You can create a website for under R1500/year if you’re prepared to use a straightforward, non-technical DIY method.
WordPress is completely free for the core software, making it once again the most popular option to create a website. You can launch your website for a very minimal cost if you combine it with a free WordPress theme like Neve or Hestia and inexpensive website hosting.
Find out more about the price of a website https://bizznet.co.za/once-off-website-design/
So do I need a website for my business? The conclusion
You’ve probably learned by now that the true question isn’t “do I need a website for my business,” but rather “can I afford to not have a website in the digital era?” And if you want to prosper over the long haul, the answer is no.
More and more, it is hard to conduct business without a website. Your competitors and customers are both online, and if you aren’t there to step in and stop them, your competitors and customers will connect, leaving you helpless.
Check out our list of excellent website starter packages for small businesses or our straightforward, once-off services, if you’re ready to get started.
WordPress, which powers over one-third of all websites on the Internet, is once again the most popular way to create a website. It is also inexpensive and easy to use for non-technical people, which contributes significantly to its popularity.
Last but not least, feel free to ask any questions you may have in the comments section below about building a website for your small business.