More often than not, people are turning to the internet for their consumer needs. It is obvious now more than ever that business that have a website do better than those that don’t.
Here are five reasons your small business needs a website.
1. Customers Expect A Website
According the the American Marketing Association six out of ten people expect a business to have an online presence. It is estimated that at least 50% of consumers use websites to gain information about a company. In today’s marketplace, customers are much more inclined to overlook a company if the website is out of date, not user-friendly, or easily accessible.
2. You Will Show Up on Google Search Results
The fact that more than 80% of consumers conduct online research before a purchase demonstrates the vital necessity of having an effective website to display your company’s products. The prospect of a business operating without a website means that the chance they will appear on the search engine results page (SERP) is close to none. Luckily, there are many avenues businesses can travel down to optimize an existing website to bring it up to date. You can customize your site with titles, meta descriptions, and keywords to make sure you are showing up at the top of Googles results.
3. It’s Always Up and Working
A business can only be open so many hours a day, but people are online at all hours of the day and an effective website that is easily accessible can connect you with customers constantly. Not only can your website increase sales dramatically because now you are open 24/7, but it can also reach people who are restricted by geography. The ability of a website to connect with customers you never knew you had is a tremendous advantage.
4. Become More Competitive
It may go without saying, but the modern marketplace is fiercely competitive which makes having a website undoubtedly vital to your companies continued existence. By not optimizing your website there is a huge risk, if not a certain degree of certainty that you are disadvantaging yourself immensely and giving your competitors a huge edge. Today’s consumer tends to shop primarily online which means they will not be buying from a company whose website is years behind other competing brands let alone take them seriously. If you want people to take your company seriously then it’s a good idea to hop on the website bandwagon.
5. Control
Your website is your domain and this provides a company the luxury of having absolute control and autonomy over their public image and their interactions with customers. Control is something that a company rarely finds itself having, but a website can offer that which is a valuable luxury that can be leveraged to connect with customers on a much deeper level. There are many ways to leverage this control such as having a blog on the site to create a sense of community on your page between customers and yourself which allows for an in-depth understanding of your target market. Your website is a constant presence on the web, this allows a company to constantly try and dial in your effectiveness in reaching customers and improving your service. By leveraging your control over your website and your company’s public image you are also giving the user the chance to be as connected and informed as they would be shopping at a store.
