Many small business owners believe they don’t need a website due to operating perfectly fine without one, or are unsure if they have the resources to build one. However, in the current, ever-growing technological climate having just a storefront or even a social media page is no longer enough to succeed. Every small business needs a website.
A professionally built website is no longer considered an expensive luxury as there are tools and services that allow for affordable and intuitive websites to be built at a fraction of the price most business owners expect them to cost. A good website provides the business with a central hub for prospective customers to view past work, research prices and get in contact.
If you still aren’t quite sure whether a website is needed for your company, consider the following reasons:
- Your customers expect you to have one
- Online reviews provide social proof
- You get full control over your brand’s identity
- You can keep up with the competition
- Open 24/7 for 365 days a year
- Appear in Google searches
- Showcase what your business does, however you like
Let’s take a deeper dive into the seven reasons stated above, and understand the statistics supporting each one.
1. Your customers expect you to have one
Modern-day shoppers are accustomed to typing in a business’ name into Google and heading straight to the product page they’ve been obsessing over. Not having a website causes a slight problem for these shoppers, as they now have to physically go to your storefront to see what products you sell.
Studies state that over 60% of consumers expect brands to provide online content, whilst over 50% directly head for a brands website to find out more product information.
2. Online reviews provide social proof
There a multiple review sites, such as; Yelp and FourSquare, however offering consumers a selection of past customers’ reviews directly on your site, create a one-stop location for consumers to find the product or service they require, check what past customers say about said product and purchase without having to ever leave the website.
90% of consumers claim that reviews play a key role in their decision-making process when buying online. As you control what is shown on your website (See point 3) you have complete autonomy in choosing which reviews customers see.
3. Full control over your brand’s identity
Your website is YOUR website. It’s true that you cannot control what is said about your brand on social media, however, that is certainly not the case when it comes to your website. You get to paint your own perceptions about your brand, influencing consumers into making purchases and becoming repeat customers.
Through the likes of blog posts and product information pages, you can slowly build a brand identity that becomes synonymous with your business’ name.
4. Keep up with the competition
Not having a website is essentially allowing your competitors to attract potential customers you’re missing out on due to a lack of an online presence. If you want these customers to begin buying from you, get your business a website.
Studies show that once a consumer has an idea of a product or service they want, they research potential options. 72% of these conduct their research online, by comparing multiple brands by the content they produce, reviews and testimonials and prices. Remember you have to be in the game, to win it!
5. 24/7 for 365 days
Never be ‘Closed For Business’ ever again. This doesn’t mean you’ll be working 24/7, however, shoppers can shop whenever they choose to. This allows you to make sales at 3am one day, to 11pm the following day and every time in-between.
Eliminate the 9-5 ethos, and start making sales from sunrise to sunrise.
6. Appear in Google Searches
Ranking on Google is an art. A very necessary art to practice due to the complexity of its SEO algorithm. However, continuously improving ranking score on Google is a must when attempting to attract more online customers.
A statistic that highlights Google’s importance for small businesses is the following: 81% of consumers perform research prior to purchase, this usually being typing in relevant keywords in Google.
7. Showcase what your business does, however you like
Showcase your products or services in whatever way you’d like. Prefer the use of videos to promote products, go ahead! As mentioned earlier, your website is YOUR website so create it to your liking. Whether you want to be informative in how you promote your products or offer more visual cues to influence consumers to buy.
We hope this article made you more aware of why every small business needs a website and the benefits of having one offer small business owners. Interested in having a website built for you? Check out what we can do for you!