Do you have a small business but don’t think you need a website? Are you curious about why it seems absolutely necessary to have a website in modern times? This article will give you the facts on why having a website for a small business is indeed necessary.
Hint: It’s not for you; it’s for your customers.
1. Your Website is Your Business Card
Consider that twenty years ago, you couldn’t have a business and/or expect to be taken seriously without a business card. Things have changed. Nowadays, people are unlikely to be referring to a Rolodex of cards, searching for numbers. Instead, they simply search online where you can put a lot more than just a phone number and company name.
Did you know that 97% of small and business owners would recommend having a website to other small and medium business owners? (1) 84% of modern consumers also believe that a website makes your business look more credible.
Having your own website also means you’ll get to have your own personalized email. For example: (your name)@(yourwebsite.com). This also makes for a more professional and (take me seriously) tone.
2. Your Customers are Searching on Google
Around 81% of Americans say they go online every day and 93% use the internet for research before making a purchase. (2)
Perhaps you have a great business without a website. That’s awesome! But remember that there is such a thing as customer turnover as well. In order to stay relevant and further your success, you’ll want to make sure new customers can find you.
If you optimize a website for a small business, you’ll be able to rank for the search terms that are most relevant to your industry. This way, people that are looking for what you offer will find YOU first.
3. You Can Present Your Products and Services
A website for a small business enables you to showcase your products and services. You get to show customers what they’ll get by showing your visitors high-quality images and 3d renders of your product.
If you have a physical store, this is a great opportunity to let people get a feel for what it would be like to enter it. This is a great opportunity to make sure your brand matches your physical store as well.
You can also take this opportunity to publish information about your services and products to help you attract the customers you’re seeking. For example, if your products are made from organic recyclable materials, your website is the perfect spot to shed a light on the process behind it all.
4. You Can Display Testimonials and Reviews to Earn Trust
People are doing research because they want to feel a sense of certainty that they will get what they’re looking for without any hidden pitfalls. Reviews and testimonials act as a form of social proof, and displaying this on your website is the easiest way to let everyone see what you’re all about.
If your company has been featured in any newspapers or popular blog websites, share those as well! This will increase your credibility and earn trust.
Make their decision fast. Make their decision easy.
5. A Website Can Persuade People to Contact You
We mentioned the business card earlier, and this is where you get to give people your contact info in the right context. The branding on your website creates a powerful argument for your products and/or services. Most companies prefer to put their contact information at the top or the bottom so that it is easy for potential customers to spot. No matter where you place it, just make sure it’s easy for people to see.
You can also choose to create a contact form which could help reduce spam emails. If you do this right, people will feel interested and secure in contacting you.
6. Google Maps
Nowadays, a lot of people just search for what they’re looking for within Google Maps. For this reason, it’s essential to register your business with Google as well as Yelp and whatever app is popular for your industry.
Not only does this mean you’ll be easier to find through Google Maps and other websites, but you’ll also be able to connect Google Maps to your website to embed it directly onto the homepage.
Local search is a very popular topic, and Google is continuing to prefer local results when users are on their mobile phones (which is all the time).
7. Your Competitors Have One
A theme that is recurring in this article is relevance. You need to be able to demonstrate your relevance and place in the industry. If your website is one of the top search results and contains a beautiful design that explains what you do very well, you’ve won!
Your competitors are probably already online. Don’t let them be the only ones. In fact, 30% of consumers won’t even consider a business unless it has a website. (3)
This is especially true for small businesses because you’re going against the behemoths of your industry. Having a website gives you a fighting chance you otherwise wouldn’t have.
8. The Best Place to Own Your Brand
When you use social media to demonstrate your brand, you’ll have to fit within their specific parameters to post. When you have your own website, the world is your oyster. You get to create a website that properly represents your brand and value proposition.
Think of a website as a messaging device. It shapes the online perception of your business. You can establish your colors, your attitude, and your beliefs. By providing these details and many, many more, you’ll be able to give your customers something intriguing that they won’t forget.
9. A Website Can Help You Grow and Succeed
It was reported that almost 4.4 billion people used the Internet in 2019. (5) That number will only continue to rise from here.
Consider the fact that this means your business is invisible to all those people. As our world continues to get more and more digital, your small business’ relevance could die a slow and painful death.
10. Your Website is Accessible 24/7
If those 9 reasons weren’t enough, here’s the kicker. With a website for your small business, you’ll be able to market, promote, and sell your product and/or service 24/7. The website works for you so that you can spend more time doing whatever it is you enjoy on your downtime.
You don’t have to be in the office at 3 am when some other customers are doing a deep dive online to find the products and/or services you provide.
Give the people what they want!
Need help with building a website for a small business? Click here and let’s chat.
