If you’re a small business owner pondering the question, “should I create a website?”, the short answer is—yes, you should.
In the modern age, consumers move to the beat of a digital drum. To meet the needs of your audience head-on while standing out in your niche, owning a clean, professional, and user-friendly website is no longer an optional luxury, it’s essential.
Did you know? There are 3.010 billion internet users worldwide. That’s a lot of people.
Sector or industry aside, creating a website for your small business will help you to grow consistently while connecting with a wealth of new professional opportunities.
Here we look at the reasons why building a website for your business is, without doubt, the way forward.
Here’s why.
Keeping up with the changes
30% of consumers won’t consider a business without a website.
Without a digital HQ for your business, you will essentially alienate an entire third of your potential customer base—it’s also likely that you will appear less accessible to your existing clients or customers.
In our hyper-connected digital age, most consumers will expect you to have an online presence—and beyond convenience alone, owning a website will demonstrate your ability to adapt in a world that is ever-changing. Demonstrating that you are both a modern and forward-thinking business.
The digital world is in a constant state of flux and if you want to keep up with the changes, you need a website for your small business. Websites, by their very nature, are dynamic, interactive, and easy to change or evolve over time. Static content such as print, or signage doesn’t.
So, if you want to adapt with the needs of your customers, having a well-designed website is essential. No exceptions.
Expanding your reach
It’s true that a website will help you connect with your entire existing customer base—but it will also empower you to expand your commercial reach and connect with droves of new consumers.
Essentially, your small business website will serve as a hub for your entire operation. By populating your web pages with relevant, engaging content, user-friendly functionality, sharp (yet minimal—people are often put off by websites that are too busy) designs, not only will you appear in more Google search results but you will also increase your chances of earning organic awareness. To put it simply, more people will come to you without you lifting a finger.
Having a website for your small business will indeed expand your reach as you will be able to connect with prospects outside your local area—which, of course, means more connections, more sales, and a bigger bottom line.
24/7 brand awareness
In this day and age, branding extends far further than a name and a logo.
As consumers gain increased access to information with the swipe of a screen or the click of a button, always on branding and communication is now pivotal to how your business is perceived.
86% of consumers state that authenticity is an essential factor when they’re deciding which brands to use and support. And, 73% of consumers believe that customer service helps a brand stand out from the pack.
Based on these discoveries alone, it’s clear that owning a small business website will empower you to showcase your brand values, share authentic content with your audience, and provide a swifter, more flexible level of customer service and communication.
A website will give you the tools you need to enhance your branding while offering your customers a greater number of touchpoints to connect with you (email, contact forms, online chat, etc.). These elements combined will boost your brand awareness and ultimately, increase your sales while encouraging customer loyalty—which is, of course, pivotal to your long term success.
Oh, and as your website is open 24/7, people will be able to find you, interact with your business, and research your products or services while you sleep. Another win for an online presence.
Saving you money
Many small business owners—across sectors—believe that investing in a website will break the bank. But, frankly it’s the opposite, and here’s why:
- Return on investment (ROI): If you get your website content and design right, you will increase your new and repeat customer base and annual sales, significantly. This lift in sales alone will far outweigh any initial investment made into the building of a small business website.
- Promotional overheads: Traditional marketing requires a great deal of physical ad placement and printing, which can become a costly venture. By reducing your traditional promotional overheads and focusing on digital marketing through your website (optimizing your content for search engines and writing regular blog post or articles that will offer value to your audience), you will ultimately shift your promotional costs from expensive, ineffective print to dynamic and cost efficient online media.
- Set up: We live in a hyper-connected digital age where the tools and technologies exist to make your work life easier (and more cost-effective). Easy to navigate content management systems (CMS’) like WordPress or Wix make building as well as editing or updating your website both fast and easy. It’s advisable to invest in the services of a professional web designer and copywriter to get you started, but once you’re up and running, you can take care of the daily maintenance, or you can delegate the work to trusted members of your team.
“Ignoring online marketing is like opening a business but not telling anyone.” – Anonymous
While there is still room for traditional marketing and business practices, it’s important to understand that without having an online presence, you’re selling yourself short (the COVID-19 pandemic is a testament to the importance of owning a website, surely?).
As digital technologies continue to progress and the world becomes all the more virtually driven, those that fail to embrace the online world will get left behind. So, if you haven’t already, get a website for your small business post-haste, there’s no time to waste.
To learn more about what type of business structure you need, read our guide on how to choose the right business structure.