Does My Business Need a Website?

It's 2021, the internet is thriving and so are the small businesses utilizing all it has to offer. There is Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google My Business, directory sites, and a plethora of other ways to promote your business online. So, with all those options do you really even need a website?

The short answer is yes. Absolutely. 100%. It is literally that simple.

But why? There are so many great options to promote your business without one. Well, we're glad you asked, because we're ready to talk about the top 5 reasons your business needs a website.

#1: It's professional

It is important to start with professionalism. Potential customers in 2021 expect that legitimate businesses will have a website. And not just a website but a website that loads fast, looks great on any platform, and is intuitive for users to navigate and find what they are looking for. Basically, you need to provide and excellent online experience. It should be set up to be easily found in online searches (especially one Google) so your audience can find you. Your website also needs to showcase your digital presence by linking to your other online platforms including your social media channels, Google My Business, and other directory sites.

Customers expect businesses to have a website. (We're not talking about a Facebook Page. Social media profiles don't count as a websites.) If you haven't already started thinking about your online marketing efforts then now would be a good time to think about it. Customers expect to see information about who you are, what you sell, where you are located, contact info, and hours of operation when they search for you online. This way they know exactly what to expect from you before they ever step foot inside your establishment.

If you don't have a website yet, this may seem like an overwhelming task. But, as always, technology makes things easier. Today, there are several easy-to-use modern website builders including Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress which allow you to customize your site however you'd like. They even have tools to help you avoid bad website design. Depending on your budget you may want to reach out to a custom website development company, but this isn't always necessary, especially if you can use a modern website builder to achieve your goals.

You NEED a great website for people to take you seriously. We have seen several small business owners wonder why they aren't attracting new customers. They ask us if it has something to do with their product, but more often it has nothing to do with their product and everything to do with their website. You don't want to create barriers because you aren't accessible online. 

So, be professional and get (or fix) your website today! 

#2: You get full control of your message

Unlike with social media or a directory site, you get full control over the elements you can use on your website to promote your message. Do you want an FAQ page? A pop-up to request people join your mailing list? An interactive map showing your business address? You have complete control!  You can add a blog post, a storefront, or your own forum. Build a contact form on your about us page. Add a banner across the top that promotes a special you're running. You have so many great options to promote your message and your brand with a website. The real question is: why wouldn't you have a website in 2021?

#3: The ability to sell online

This almost feels like it should be first on the list, but selling online is a huge way to increase profits. Eliminating barriers is an excellent way to increase sales, and selling online is easy. Easy for you and your customers. We recently were consulting with a company that was still booking events by sending out paper forms in the mail and requesting checks. They wanted to know how they could get more people to book faster, and they asked if the form they were sending out could be improved at all. Yes, it could be improved easily by moving it online and taking deposits via credit card as well. This streamlined the process and made it easier for potential customers. Plus it allowed them to close faster and lose fewer customers.

Your customers LOVE websites. In fact, according to bigcommerce.com, over 75% of consumers are shopping online versus brick-and-mortar stores.

Over 75% of people are shopping at least once a month online. As the need for convenience becomes more prominent for consumers, it makes sense that over 75% of them are shopping online at least once a month. Source: bigcommerce.com.

Why? Because they feel safe buying products online. Websites make purchasing easy and convenient. They get to do research quickly to see if they are getting a good product at a fair price. When someone wants to buy something, they go straight to online storefronts instead of going through multiple steps to purchase at a store. So, having a website means you'll increase conversions and sales.

Plus, your customers also enjoy being able to interact with you directly via email, phone calls, text messages, chat, etc.

#4: Let your customers find you faster

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is essential to people finding your business. It doesn't matter if you understand it or not. You get minimal (if any) control over your SEO when you only exist online via platforms other than your own website. Social media and Google Business are good for SEO, and can help you get found. But, you have so many more opportunities to be found when you control your SEO with a website. One of the main ways to control your SEO is to add content people are searching for to your website on a regular basis. Other online platforms don't allow for this type of searchable content. Take control of your online identity and your company's searchability by creating a website!

#5: Testimonials

The internet has created an opportunity for people to do their research before making a purchase. With a website you can help control the narrative about your business, and one of the best ways to do this is through customer testimonials. 

Displaying your best reviews and/or testimonials prominently on your website is a great way to establish social proof. Publishing your best reviews on your website also serves the secondary purpose of creating a permanent archive. This means that even if third-party review sites close at some point in the future, you'll still have access to your best reviews. Source: themeisle.com

 A great way to request testimonials is by collecting peoples emails at checkout and then emailing them within a week of them purchasing your product. Create a simple form (like a google form) asking them a few questions about what they liked about your product. Make sure to let the know that their review will be added to the website to help other customers learn about your product.

Bonus Tip: Email Marketing

If you are collecting client emails at checkout (and you provide a double opt in) you can use those emails for marketing! A great way to do this is to set up an automated email marketing platform like Mailchimp or Constant Contact. Then you can add the email addresses and start sending weekly or monthly e-newsletters. This is a great way to connect with customers and inform them of upcoming promotions. It is importnat not to spam your email list, but regular communication can help your business grow. 

Conclusion

Business owners, it is 2021. We are past the stage where websites could be claimed as a fad. We are past the point where you could say you wanted proof it would work. We are past the point where you could argue you are waiting for the “kinks” to be worked out. It is really easy and affordable in 2021 to have a high quality website, so you SHOULD have one.

If your are convinced you need a website but don't know how to build one, our team at Red 11 Media can help you out.