As a small business owner, you find yourself juggling many different tasks. While you enjoy spending time online whenever you have a minute, the thought of running a website isn’t something you’ve embraced. After all, things are going pretty well without one, so what’s the point?
While websites do take a lot of work, the cold, hard truth is that you’re missing out on a huge portion of potential customers without one. As a small business owner, this isn’t the kind of scratch you want to leave on the table.
You appreciate the fact that you need all the business you can get. However, you should know that there are many other important reasons you should own a website today that affect the longevity of your business. Let’s take a closer look at whether you really need a website.
6 Reasons Why Your Small Business Needs a Website
While you’ve managed to create a successful small business without a website, you can’t imagine how much more successful it’ll be with a website. There are numerous reasons why simply creating a website will make you all that much more successful.
1. Websites Make You Look Professional
Verisign conducted a 2015 study in which they discovered that 84% of today’s consumers think businesses look more credible when they have a website. This percentage has only appreciated over time.
While a social media profile is excellent, having a website allows you to showcase your professional certifications and awards, your interaction with the community, your events and accomplishments, and more. With a website, you’ll also have a branded email address (e.g., di***@yo******.com) which only ups the legitimacy of your brand. Consumers want to see that you are legit, and having a professional website that establishes your credibility online for all to see is crucial to making that happen.
2. You can Use Google to Help You Attract New Customers
Customer turnover is just a part of doing business. For this reason, you need to attract new customers on a continuous basis. Creating an online presence through a website listed on Google is the best way to do this. This marketing will allow you to attract people searching for a variety of terms related to your business.
You’ll also want to ensure that your website is integrated with Google Maps so customers can easily find you. These maps are beneficial for anyone who may be unfamiliar with the area where your business is located.
3. Websites Let You Curate Your Brand Perception Online
There are several ways in which you can use your website to show off your products or services, including:
- Using high-quality photographs allows you to show your potential customers what they can expect to receive from your business.
- Your website’s design can give your potential customers a sense of what it’ll feel like for them to enter your physical location.
- Publishing important information on your website ensures you’re attracting the right customers.
- Displaying the best reviews and testimonials you’ve received establishes proof that customers are pleased with your service.
- Featuring articles and blog posts your business has appeared on helps you establish authority in your industry.
4. Websites Encourage Customers to Contact You
Making your contact information available has never been easier. You can easily use the header or footer on your website to ensure that this information is prominently displayed throughout your website. Additionally, you can include a contact form on your website, which will protect against email spam and ensure that your prospective customers can contact you.
5. Websites Help You Create an Industry Presence
Even if your competitors aren’t online now, you can bet they will soon make a move to be present here. If you’re the first to create a high-quality website, you’ll be able to establish yourself as a leader in your industry. However, if your competitors are already here, you can still set yourself apart simply by creating a website that stands out among the crowd and boldly establishes your brand identity.
6. Websites Ensure Your Long Term Success
According to Statista, about 60% of the world’s population is now part of the internet population. The truth is, when you don’t have a website for your small business, your reach is severely limited. As we progress further into the digital era, factors that affect businesses primarily being found online first in the present will become more and more relevant. Your business needs a website.
You Don’t Have to Be A Website Designer. We Can Help.
At Stoute Web Solutions, we do not sell marketing. We promote growth. Most agencies prioritize foosball tables and downtown views over results and action.
We are not that agency.
Sure, we like to have fun. And we do! But we never put our Ping-Pong skills ahead of the people who keep us in business: our clients.
Our decisions impact thousands of businesses around the world. More importantly, there are real people counting on us to grow their business. We’ve been providing a wide range of services to clients from different sectors, which include Website Design & Development, Website Hosting, AdWords Management, SEO, and PPC Campaign Management right here in Portland.
It is a responsibility and a privilege we take seriously.
Find out how we can be an advocate for your business.
