1. The Changing Consumer Landscape
As a result of the restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have essentially moved all of their activity online. Anyone who doesn’t have a trusted online presence, which includes a quality website, is choosing to forego business on a massive scale, at an especially crucial time.
This has, without a doubt, changed the attitudes of many business owners who are now looking to take their business online and extend their services to an even broader audience than they thought possible.
Any successful business needs to pay attention to where their customers and audience are hanging out, and if that place is online, you shouldn’t hesitate to follow, adapt and capture their attention in that new environment.
2. Your Customers Have Grown To Expect A Website
Even if you are a business with a physical location, your customers have come to expect a website as an organic extension of any brand. With so much information available out there, your customers are much more likely to research any product or service they choose to purchase online or in person.
Not only do your customers expect a website, but a high-quality one that gives them the type of user experience they have come to expect.
Without a website that contains valuable content surrounding your product or service, you risk losing an immeasurable amount of exposure and business. If you fail to open a website for your business, your audience may assume your business is on the decline and doesn’t have a future.
What’s worse is that you’re essentially turning your potential clientele over to direct competitors who do have an online presence to capture that audience.
3. Your Website Lets You Curate Your Brand
With so much competition out there, it’s essential for any brand to set themselves apart with unique branding and a powerful message. But without a website to host these important elements, your brand, and your message will be disjointed and easily forgettable.
To make an impactful statement and impression, you need a website that will let you control exactly what message your brand is sending out and the experience your customers will associate with your brand. Project exactly the image you want to send to your target audience.
After all, your website is the customer-facing part of your business, and often one which has to make a first impression on your potential leads. A beautifully designed website and the valuable content will draw your audience in and convert them to loyal customers, but you must have a website in place in order for that to happen.
4. Your Brand Will Look More Trustworthy
Impressions matter, and with so many competing businesses out there, it’s very important to position yourself as a trusted authority in your niche. In today’s day and age, you simply cannot do that without a website.
As we already mentioned, your customers are very likely to do a fair share of research before giving their business to a company; and since they’re searching online, you need an optimized website to make your content visible to your readers as well as the search engines.
Your website design also plays heavily into your projected trustworthiness. It’s reported that 75% of your website visitors judge the site by its design. So as you can see, you not only need a website but a quality one if you want to inspire trust in your potential customers.
5. Extend Your Services Online
No matter what business you are in, you can benefit from offering your services or products online. Even if you’re running a classic brick-and-mortar shop or an in-person service, you can still grow your sales considerably by extending your reach online.
A well-designed website and landing pages can actively drive qualified leads to your business without taking any time out of your day. The best part is, your website offers your customers information and/or purchasing options any time of the day – regardless of your business hours.
6. You’ll Save On Advertising Costs
If you’re still using traditional media to advertise your business or trying digital marketing without an existing website, you’re likely wasting your valuable marketing budget.
Without a website to house your unique, targeted content, you’re missing out on free, organic reach to people who are already searching for products and services like yours. You can use your website to publish and promote any communication, offer, or promotion you’re doing without the added cost of traditional advertising.
Even your paid advertising will likely be cheaper and more effective since you can drive a cold audience to your website and start them down the conversion funnel. A targeted landing page on your website will also make your PPC campaigns less costly and give you a better return on your advertising money.
No matter what your initial investment in a new website, it will likely pay itself back in your increased visibility and growth.
7. Update Your Information Easily
Whether your business has added a new product, changed locations, or undergone any type of change, you’ll likely want to get the word out and have updated information about your company available to your customers.
Without a website, you’re reliant on advertising, press releases, and other people’s hearsay to communicate your message. This can get costly and inefficient, and you really have limited control over your own image.
Unlike earlier websites, which were difficult to manage and update, current-day website management has become a breeze. With modern sites, you can easily update and customize current information about your business with a few clicks.
This type of control is especially useful during the time of ongoing COVID-19 developments, when being able to clearly communicate your hours or operation status can be vital.
8. A Website Grows Your Reach
It’s hard to come across a business that doesn’t want more customers and to grow your customer base you need to expand your reach. This doesn’t mean that you need to take your localized business nationwide, it just means reaching more potential leads within your existing area of business.
Did you know that nearly half of all Google searches are for nearby businesses? Without a website, you’re giving up all of that search volume that could organically turn into sales for your company. Can you afford to overlook that type of potential?
9. Social Media Alone Isn’t Enough
To have a comprehensive online presence you need both social media and a website. Some businesses try to take the shortcut and think their Facebook or Instagram page is enough, but these platforms do not replace the functions of a personalized website.
For one, social media reach – especially unpaid organic reach – has plummeted for companies across nearly all platforms. That’s due to the changing algorithms and the sheer enormity of content competing for attention.
Your social media posts will naturally reach only a slight fraction of your followers, and probably don’t stand a chance of making it in front of a new audience. But your chances actually increase if you offer valuable original content in the form of blog posts, infographics, or other media housed on your website.
So why does a business need a website?
If you’re still in need of convincing that your business could benefit from having a website, we hope these points have solidified your decision. In today’s world of business, a website is a necessary extension of any brand, and should actually be at the heart of your company operations. Businesses across all industries can benefit from the added reach and visibility, especially during a time when flexibility and adaptability are key to success. Here at Bold Eye Media, we would be happy to help you develop a new website, or answer any questions you might have about the process.