There's no doubt about it – having a website is essential for any business. In fact, according to recent studies, over 90% of consumers search for businesses online before making a purchase. And if you're not one of those businesses, you're missing out on a lot of potential customers.
In this blog post, we'll explore 10 reasons why every business should have a website and 5 reasons why they may not need one. By the end, you should have a good understanding of whether or not your business needs a website and what to consider when making that decision. So, let's get started!
Does My Business Need a Website?
Before diving into the article let's explore the question, "Does My Business Need a Website?". You might be surprised to know that there are actually businesses out there who don't have websites.
Here are some notable examples:
- Businesses that rely on foot traffic and word-of-mouth, like most brick-and-mortar retail stores
- Service businesses that operate within a specific geographic area, like plumbers or electricians
- Appointment-only businesses, like salons or spas
So, if your business falls into one of these categories, you may be wondering whether or not you need a website. The answer is maybe. It really depends on your business goals and objectives.
For example, if you're a brick-and-mortar store, a website can be a great way to drive foot traffic to your store. Or, if you're a service business, a website can help you reach new customers outside of your geographic area.
On the other hand, if you're an appointment-only business, you may not need a website because your customers can just call or come into your store to make an appointment.
So, as you can see, there are pros and cons to having a website, even for businesses that don't traditionally need one. It really depends on your individual business goals.
Now that we've answered the question, "Does my business need a Website?" let's explore the common question "Do I need a website if I have social media?".
Do I Need a Website if I Have Social Media Pages?
This is a common question, and the answer is not as simple as you might think. While it's true that social media pages can be a great way to connect with your target audience, they should not be used as a replacement for your website. Here's why:
First, let's consider reach. A recent study found that there are now over three billion active social media users. That's a lot of people! However, that doesn't mean that all of those people are seeing your content. In fact, the average organic reach for a Facebook post is just over six percent. That means that if you have a page with 100 likes, only six people are seeing your post.
Now, let's look at control. When you have a website, you have complete control over the design, content, and user experience. With social media pages, you're at the mercy of the platform's algorithm. That means that your content might not be seen by as many people as you'd like and that you can't control how users interact with your page.
Finally, let's consider the long-term. Social media platforms come and go, but a website is something you can control. Even if a platform shuts down or changes its algorithm, your website will still be there.
For all of these reasons, we believe that every business should have a website. Whether you use it to drive sales, generate leads, or simply provide information about your business, a website is an essential part of any business's online presence.
Of course, there are some exceptions. If you're selling products through a third-party platform like Amazon or Etsy, you may not need a website. And, if you're a local business with a limited budget, you may want to start with social media and add a website later.
In the end, it's up to you to decide whether or not your business needs a website. But, we believe that every business can benefit from having one. If you're still on the fence here are four more things to consider?
1. You Don’t Own Your Social Media Pages or Audience
Most social media platforms are free to use. That’s great news for businesses who want to get their name out there without spending any money. However, it’s important to remember that you don’t own your social media pages or audience.
For example, Facebook could decide to shut down tomorrow and all of your hard work building up your page would be gone. The same goes for Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and any other social media platform.
With a website, you have complete control. You can design it however you want and you’re not at the mercy of changes made by the platform owners.
Plus, you can use your website to drive traffic to your social media pages or vice versa. Use your website to build up an email list of potential customers and then use that list to promote your social media pages.
The bottom line is that a website gives you a level of control and flexibility that social media can’t match.
2. Social Media Has SEO Limitations
While social media is a great way to connect with your audience and promote your content, it has its limitations when it comes to SEO.
Your website, on the other hand, gives you complete control over your SEO strategy. With a website, you can choose your keywords, metatags, and descriptions to ensure that your content is being seen by your target audience.
You can also take advantage of external linking opportunities to further improve your SEO. So, if you're serious about ranking in search engines, a website is a must.
3. A Website is More Credible
When it comes to credibility, a website will always trump social media. Why? Because when you have a website, you control the narrative.
With social media, your audience is only seeing one side of your business – the side that you want them to see. But with a website, you can give potential customers a more well-rounded view of your business.
You can showcase your products and services, tell your brand story, and even include customer testimonials. This helps create a more credible and trustworthy image for your business.
And when it comes to conversion rates, credibility matters. In fact, 86% of consumers say that credibility is the number one factor when deciding whether or not to make a purchase.
So, if you want your business to be seen as credible and trustworthy, a website is essential.
4. Attention is Fleeting on Social Media
The average person spends nearly two hours on social media every day. While that may seem like a lot of time, it's actually just a fraction of the attention span that most people have. In fact, the average attention span is now just eight seconds – which is even shorter than that of a goldfish!
This means that you have a very short window to capture your audience's attention on social media. If you're not able to do that, they'll quickly move on to something else.
With a website, however, you have more control over the user experience. You can design your website in a way that is both visually appealing and easy to navigate. This helps keep people engaged with your content and increases the likelihood that they'll convert into customers.
So, if you want to make a lasting impression on your audience, a website is the way to go.
10 Benefits of a Website
A website helps you to:
1. Reach a wider audience with your product or service
With a website, you can reach people all over the world with your product or service. This is especially beneficial if you're selling products or services that can be shipped internationally. A website also allows you to:
- Display your product or service in a professional manner
- Give potential customers more information about what you offer
- Reach out to new markets that you may not have otherwise had access to
With a website, you have the potential to generate leads and sales 24 hours a day, seven days a week, across international borders, state lines, and between cities. This is because people can visit your website at any time of day or night to learn more about your product or service and make a purchase from anywhere that has internet access.
2. A website helps establish and build credibility for your business?
There are a few different ways this can happen. First, potential customers can learn about your products or services through your website. They can also read testimonials from other customers, which can help build trust. Additionally, having a well-designed website shows that you're professional and committed to your business.
3. A website offers customers an easy way to contact you
By including your contact information on your website, you make it easy for customers to reach out to you – whether they have a question, comment, or concern. And, if you have a contact form set up, they can even send you a message without ever having to pick up the phone.
Not only does this make it easy for customers to get in touch with you, but it also makes it easy for them to do so at their convenience. There's no need to wait on hold or schedule a time to speak with someone – they can simply send you a message and wait for a reply.
In addition, by having your contact information readily available on your website, you give off the impression that you're accessible and that you're open to hearing from your customers. This can go a long way in building trust and credibility with potential and current customers alike.
4. A website displays your product or service in its best light possible
A website is the perfect platform to show off your product or service in its best light possible. You can control the design and layout of your site to ensure that potential customers get a positive first impression of your business. Plus, with a well-designed website, you can highlight the features and benefits of your product or service in a way that is easy for visitors to understand.
In contrast, if you don't have a website, potential customers will only have whatever information they can find about your business through word-of-mouth or online directories (like Yelp or Google Maps). This means that you could be missing out on valuable opportunities to market your business effectively and attract new customers.
5. A website allows customers to purchase your product or service online
If you're selling products or services, then you need a website. Customers today expect to be able to purchase items online, and if you don't have a website, they'll go to your competitor's site instead.
A website also allows you to reach a larger audience. With a physical store, your customer base is limited to those who live near your store. But with a website, anyone in the world can find and purchase your product or service.
And, lastly, a well-designed website can give your business an air of professionalism and credibility. In today's digital age, potential customers will research your business online before making a purchase. If you don't have a website, they may not even consider doing business with you.
6. A website provides customers with additional information about your product or service
A website can provide customers with additional information about your product or service that they might not be able to get from a physical store.
For example, let's say you sell custom-made furniture. In your store, you might only have a few pieces of furniture on display. But on your website, you can have photos and descriptions of all the different types of furniture you make. This allows potential customers to get a better idea of what you offer and makes them more likely to purchase from you.
7. A website Offer customer support and FAQs
A website can offer 24/hour customer support and FAQs, which is beneficial for both the customer and the business. The customer can get their questions answered quickly and easily, without having to wait for someone to be available during normal business hours. And, the business doesn't have to worry about staffing someone specifically to handle customer support. Tools such as HubSpot's live chat and contact forms make it easy to offer this type of support through a website.
8. A website keeps your customers updated on new products, services, and promotions
A website can serve as a central hub for all of your customer communications. You can post updates on new products, services, and promotions on your website, and customers can check back regularly to stay up-to-date. This is especially important if you have a brick-and-mortar store, as customers may not always come in to see what's new. Regularly updating this information is key to keeping customers engaged and informed.
9. A website helps you to track and analyze your customer traffic data
In the early days of the internet, having a website was more of a “nice to have” than a “need to have” for businesses.
These days, however, your business website is one of the most important tools in your marketing arsenal—and for good reason.
While customers may come into a brick and mortar store and share nothing about themselves, online customers bring with them immense amounts of information like where they are, what phone they have, what they search for, their interests and other important data.
This data is immensely valuable to businesses as it can help them fine-tune their marketing strategies, better understand their customers and make more informed decisions about the direction of their business.
In other words, a website helps you track and analyze your customer traffic data, which is an invaluable asset for any business.
10. A website give you a platform to blog and/or build an email list
Another reason why your business needs a website is that it provides you with a platform to blog and/or build an email list.
A blog is a great way to share information about your products, services or industry with your customers in an informal way.
It also allows you to show off your company’s personality, which can help you attract new customers and build relationships with existing ones.
And, if you include calls to action on your blog posts, you can use your website as a powerful lead generation tool.
Similarly, an email list gives you a direct line of communication to your customers and prospects—which can be used to send them updates about new products, exclusive offers and more.
5 Reasons Why Your Business May Not Need a Website
While we discussed 10 reasons why your business may need a website, here are 5 reasons it may not benefit you to invest in a website.
1. You’re a local business with no need for online sales or lead generation.
If you’re a local business that doesn’t rely on online sales or lead generation, then you may not need a website.
For example, if you’re a brick and mortar store that primarily serves customers in your immediate area, then there may be no need to invest in a website as most of your customers will likely find you through word-of-mouth or offline marketing channels.
2. You don’t have the time or resources to maintain a website.
Another reason why you may not need a website is if you don’t have the time or resources to properly maintain it.
A website requires regular updates and fresh content to be effective, so if you don’t have the bandwidth to invest in it, then it may not be worth your while.
3. You’re using social media as your primary online presence.
If you’re using social media as your primary online presence, then you may not need a website—although we would still recommend having one as a backup.
Social media platforms are constantly changing, so relying on them as your only online home could put you at risk if they were to disappear or make changes that negatively impact your business.
4. You already have a strong offline presence.
If you already have a strong offline presence, then you may not need a website to supplement it.
For example, if you have a brick and mortar store that does a good amount of business, then you may not need to invest in a website as your customers already know how to find you.
5. You’re on a tight budget and can’t afford a website.
Finally, if you’re on a tight budget and can’t afford to invest in a website, then you may not need one—at least not right away.
There are free platforms like WordPress.com that you can use to build a basic website, so if money is an issue, then starting small may be the best way to go.
So,
should your business have a website? The answer is yes, but it depends on your specific situation. If you're still not sure whether or not a website is right for you, don't worry – we're here to help. Just contact us and we'll walk you through the process step-by-step. And if you decide that a website is the right choice for you, we can take care of everything from designing and developing your site to managing your hosting and SEO. Thanks for reading!