Does your business need a website?

There are many reasons why any business, regardless of industry, needs a website. For starters, your customers are online searching to decide where to go and what to buy. According to Internet Live Stats, there are (at least) 3.5 billion Google searches made every day. Check out a few more fun facts, courtesy of BrightLocal:

· 86% of consumers rely on the internet to find a local business

· 29% of consumers search for local businesses at least once every 7 days

· 72% of consumers say search is their first choice to find information on local merchants

So, even if your business is strictly local, rest assured that investing in a website is well worth it.

If your business has been functioning without a website you may be wondering: do I really need a website for my business? Why should I spend money and have a website created when I’ve been successful without one so far? In reality, not having a website is costing you time and money and you don’t have to be tech savvy to get a professional website for your business.

There has never been a better time than now to invest in a business website. A website offers a wide variety of benefits for small businesses, and most of these benefits increase in value year over year. Not convinced? Keep reading...

Here are 10 reasons why every business needs a website.

1. A website makes you look professional and improves your business credibility

A simple way to view a website is that it's your online business card that people can reference over and over again for things like contact information, business hours, services offered and more . Americans spend, on average, 23.6 hours online each week and nearly 5 hours every day on their mobile devices.

Don’t be mislead into thinking a company page in Facebook is enough to build your credibility. A 2015 survey showed that 84% of consumers believe that having a website makes your business more credible than just a social media page than companies who only have social media profiles.

2. Build your business and attract new customers through Google

81% of consumers today start their buying experience by doing online research before making a purchase. One of the best ways to encourage continued success is to make your business visible on Google. If you don’t have a website for your business, you can’t show up in search engines. To encourage continued success, you need to attract new customers, and one of the best ways to do that is increase your chances of appearing on the first page of Google’s search results.

A well-optimized website can help your business rank well for a variety of search terms and attract a steady stream of new customers.

It can be used to tell your audience your story and explain why you started your business, what your goals are and how you can help your customers.

3. Google ranks local businesses higher when searchers use mobile devices

Google assumes that the user is most likely mobile and is looking for a business in close proximity to their current location so the search engine favors local businesses when people do mobile searches.

Having a mobile optimized business website increases your chances to use Google’s preferential treatment and causes your site to appear higher on the results page. This increases your chances of being found by customers in the moment they’re looking for you and they’re more likely to reach out to you.

4. Display your best reviews and testimonials prominently on your website

By displaying your best reviews and testimonials prominently on your website establishes social proof. This boosts your credibility and trustworthiness with potential/current customers and allows you to control your story. If your business appears in newspapers, articles or blogs you can also feature those as well. Publishing your best reviews also creates a permanent archive so if the third-party review site would close in the future; you still have access to your best reviews.

5. Showcase your products, services and enhance your online presence

No matter what business you’re in, a website offers a plethora of ways to showcase your products and services. You can show potential customers what you have to offer by displaying clear, crisp photos of your products and offer detailed descriptions of the services you provide.

Include links to your social media pages: your business Facebook page, Tweets, Instagram photos and more. By including these links and follow buttons visitors can share the beautiful and informative pages you have on your site and you can share promotions and discounts. Your website can help increase your social media footprint and gain more followers, who ultimately may be converted into paying customers.

6. Efficient way to promote your business and encourage customers to contact you

Having a business website enables you to reach more people both locally and globally for less cost with maximum exposure. You can use your website to find new customers and better serve your existing customers too. Having the ability to update business information 24/7 improves communication with customers while freeing you up to focus on other business priorities. With branded emails, you can create email marketing that drives both on and offline traffic and boosts customer loyalty to your brand.

A business website allows your business contact information to be readily available to potential and current customers. Contact information can appear on every page if it’s published in the header or footer. It should include your name, address and phone number and have a clear call to action and be easy to find. Your site can also have a contact us form or a subscriber link to allow customers to sign up to receive emails, promotions and other news.

7. Integrate your website with Google Maps so you can be found more easily

You can embed maps directly into your content or embed a map directly onto your contact page. By doing this you make it easier for people who are not familiar with the area to find your business. The Google maps feature is really great if you host events and want to attract people from outside your local area to your business.

8. Your website is open 24 hours per day

Unlike a brick and mortar building, your website stays open 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. This allows customers to find you and literally shop online around-the-clock. Your website provides your current and potential customers with the ability to view your product and purchase anytime, not just the usual 9 am to 5 pm. You can reach a greater number of potential customers which leads to a boost in sales when consumers are not restricted by time or geography.

9. A website ensures your success over the long term

In 2020, almost 4.54 billion people (59% of the global population) use the Internet, and more and more people are getting online.

Without a website, your business is invisible to these billions of people. As we keep progressing further into the era of digital communication, your business will become invisible to everyone unless you invest in a website.

To be competitive in an increasingly digital world, your business needs to be able to be accessed online.

10. Your Competitors probably have one

64 percent of small businesses do have their own website, while only 36 percent of small businesses don't.

If you want to stay competitive and relevant in your industry, it’s important that your business have an online footprint.

The final verdict

Hopefully, by now you’ve realized that the question isn’t “does your business need a website”, but “can I afford to not have a website in the current digital era that continuing to grow”. The answer is if you want to continue to flourish in the long term, no. A website is one of the best investments any business can make in its future. You can get all the benefits without spending a fortune.

If you’re ready to get started with a website for your small business, contact me today!

www.kimandcompanywebdesign.com