On the fence about whether or not you need a website for your small business?
In most cases the answer is yes, you probably do.
As a professional web designer and small business owner myself, I can personally attest to how a strong online presence can help small businesses grow. But a strong online presence isn’t achievable without a business website. Platforms such as Facebook and Google Business Profile are great for helping you achieve some level of online recognition but a custom business website should be the cornerstone of all of your digital marketing efforts.
According to one study, 76% of consumers will look for a business’s website before visiting their physical location or deciding to purchase their products or services. Meaning that if you don’t currently have a website, you’re missing out on new customers that could be coming to you instead of your competitors.
Still not convinced?
Here are 10 reasons why investing in a website is one of the smartest moves you can make for your business.
1. Boosts Credibility
Having a professional website gives your business a huge boost in credibility. Why? Because it fosters a sense of trust and professionalism. Consumers are more likely to trust a business with an informative, well-designed website over one with no online presence. Having things on your website such as customer testimonials, relevant certifications, detailed blog posts, original images and videos, and company information will go a long way toward instilling confidence in your brand.
And no, before you ask, having a Facebook page isn’t enough. One survey by Verisign found that 84% of consumers believe a business with a website is more credible than one with only a social media page.
2. 24/7 Accessibility
Having a website allows your business to be accessible 24/7. This means that customers can find information about your products and services, even outside of regular business hours. This is a win-win for your customers and yourself. They can find the information they’re looking for and you don’t have to respond to dozens of queries about store hours, services you offer, or product availability. A great way to address common questions about your business is to have a FAQ page on your website.
Furthermore, having a website allows you to capture leads and sales even when your physical location is closed. By integrating forms or e-commerce functionality, your website can work for you around the clock. Talk about a great business asset!
3. Enhances Online Visibility
It’s a fact that 97% of consumers use the internet to find local businesses. Having a website drastically increases your chances of being found by them.
However, just because you have a website doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be featured at the top of page one on Google. For that you’ll need to implement a Local SEO strategy. Here are a few things you can do to make sure your website is visible online:
- Google Business Profile – Having a Google Business Profile gives you the opportunity to be found in the Google Map Pack. You’ll want to make sure all the information you entered is accurate and up to date. Add pics and videos of your work, set store hours, provide a phone number where you can be reached at, and, of course, a link to your website.
- Get Lots of Reviews – One of Google’s primary ranking factors for local businesses is “prominence”. According to Google, prominence refers to how well known a business is and Google bases its understanding of a business’s prominence, in part, on review count and review score. So having lots of great reviews on your Google Business Profile will help you rise to the top of the Google Map Pack.
- Implement Relevant Keywords – In order for Google to understand what your website is about, you have to tell it. You do this by implementing keywords in certain places of your website. For example, if you’re a plumber in Lynchburg, VA and this is the primary search term that people enter into Google in order to find you, then you’ll want to implement this into the H1 tag of your homepage. Adding relevant keywords across all pages of your website should be part of your strategy to dominate the local search results.
- Mobile Optimization – It’s not enough to have a website that looks great on desktop, it has to perform well on mobile too. Because nearly 60% of all web searches are done on mobile devices, having your website optimized for mobile is crucial for enhancing your online visibility.
If you want to learn more about local SEO check out this article: How to do Local SEO | A Beginners Guide to Dominating Your City
4. Cost-Effective Marketing
A website serves as a cost-effective marketing tool. Traditional marketing methods like print, radio, and TV ads can be costly and often have limited reach. In contrast, digital marketing strategies like content marketing, social media advertising, and email marketing are more affordable and allow you to target specific audiences effectively.
- Content Marketing – Blogs and articles can attract visitors by providing valuable information.
- Social Media Advertising – Targeted ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram can reach specific audiences.
- Email Marketing – Nurture leads and encourage repeat business through personalized email campaigns.
5. Showcases Products and Services
Your website is the perfect platform to showcase your products and services. High-quality images, detailed descriptions, and customer reviews provide potential customers with the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions. An online portfolio or gallery can highlight your best work, while an e-commerce section can facilitate direct sales.
Offering detailed product pages with specifications and benefits can further convince customers of the value of your offerings. This comprehensive showcase helps differentiate your business from competitors.
6. Builds Customer Relationships
A website allows you to engage with your customers and build lasting relationships. Features like blogs, newsletters, and contact forms enable you to communicate directly with your audience, providing valuable information and addressing their concerns.
Regularly updated blogs can educate customers and establish you as an authority in your field, while newsletters can keep your audience informed about new products, services, and promotions. This ongoing engagement fosters a sense of community and loyalty among your customers.
7. Competitive Advantage
If you’re in an industry where most of your competitors don’t have a website, or they do have one but it’s poorly designed, investing in a professional website of your own could give you a tremendous advantage.
Think about it.
If I’m looking for plumbing services in my area and I narrow the search down to two plumbers, one with a professional website and the other without one, who do you think I’m more likely to choose? The one with the website mainly because it looks professional, I have the ability to learn about the company and their qualifications, see photos of previous work, etc..
In this scenario, the plumber with the website got the job simply because he has a platform where he can showcase who he is, what he does, and the type of service that I (the customer) can expect to receive. Thus having a website can significantly impact the amount of business you receive.
8. Provides Analytics
Another great benefit of having a website is that it allows you to track and analyze your business’s performance. By using tools such as Google Analytics you can monitor visitor behavior, track sales, see which pages are getting the most attention, and so on. This data can then be used to help you make decisions that can directly impact the success of your business.
For example, once you’re able to see which pages get the most amount of traffic and engagement, you can then optimize those pages to make them convert even better. You can also create similar pages or content in an attempt to mirror its performance and success.
Without these insights you’re left in the dark not knowing how site visitors are finding you, what type of content is attracting them in the first place, or what to do to convert more of them into paying customers.
9. Facilitates Online Transactions
If you own a business that sells products or services, a website can facilitate online transactions, making it easier for you to get paid and for your customers to get what they want quickly.
Even if you’re primarily a service based business, having an option where customers can pay for your services online is a convenient feature that would serve your business well. Efficient online transactions can significantly boost sales and customer satisfaction.
10. Make Passive Income
If none of the other reasons convinced you that your business needs a website, perhaps this one will. Having a website gives you the opportunity to make some passive income! How? Simply by adding a blog (and uploading articles to it, of course!).
Before I got into web design and SEO work, I owned a portfolio of blogs that generated a full-time income for me and my family. These blogs were simple and easy to create but yet they generated thousands of dollars a month in passive income (I use that term somewhat loosely). I was able to do this by using affiliate links and allowing ads to be shown on my website through Ezoic (my preferred ad platform).
Of course, with the rise of AI and Google’s constant algorithm updates, blogging isn’t as easy as it used to be. Nonetheless, if you’re able to generate traffic to your blog posts via SEO or social media marketing, you could add thousands of dollars in additional revenue to your business.
Is it easy? No. But neither is owning and running a small business! The great thing about blogging, however, is that once you get established and start obtaining traffic, the income is fairly passive, meaning that you don’t have to keep working for it. The blog posts do the work for you.
Final Thoughts
For most small businesses, having a website is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. A website can be your business’s most valuable asset, offering a platform for credibility, customer engagement, and growth. From enhancing online visibility to generating passive income, the benefits of a professional business website are undeniable.
If you’re a small business owner who doesn’t have a website, or you do have one that needs to be re-designed, contact Take Five Digital today! We specialize in helping small businesses grow through leveraging the power of incredible web design and SEO. Hope to hear from you soon!
