Do you *really* need a website?
Yes, it’s 2021, and yes, we still need to have this conversation. If you’re a small business owner and creating, maintaining, and even having a website seems like a huge hassle, we get it. There’s meta tags, SEO, SEM, the constant content creation… The list goes on and on. However, in the world we’re in, having a well-developed, thoughtful online presence is crucial when it comes to credibility, customer experience, and the opportunity to reach new audiences (aka potential clients/customers).
Social media is a great tool for marketing your business and connecting with customers. But if Instagram disappeared tomorrow, you’d need another way for people to find you online. Social media is only one piece of the pie that is your digital presence.
Credibility
Have you ever searched for a dentist or a new salon and found some options with terrible websites and/or really clunky messaging? For us, this immediately raises questions about their legitimacy as a business. Having a professional, intuitive website with clear communication and information about your business is key to attracting new customers and standing out among competitors. A website can also attract more eyeballs through something called SEO (Search Engine Optimization). (If you’re setting up a website or refining your existing one, we have a whole blog post on SEO to help you get started.)
Customer Service
The online world might seem impersonal at times, but a website is actually a great way to connect with your audience before they even work/make a purchase with you or send you a message. A website is a place to conveniently answer your customer’s questions, saving them a phone call or dismissing your business altogether. Some web hosts have live chat plug-ins that can be worked into your website, which allows you to chat with the people on your website in real time!
Reaching New Customers
A website with well-researched SEO can directly translate into new leads and potential revenue. If you’re showing up in a Google search, you’ll be more likely to get organic traffic on your site. More traffic on your website means more potential customers finding out who you are, what you offer, and why they should make a purchase (or book your services, contact you, etc.).
#ProTip: Drive traffic to your website via your social media platforms, weekly newsletter, and/or ads. This is where people can find more information without scrolling through a hefty social caption or long email. “Visit our website” is a helpful call-to-action to pepper in your all digital marketing efforts.
Your website doesn’t have to be perfect right away— the important thing is you even have a website to begin with. Websites are completely customizable, so as your business grows, your website can grow alongside it. Consider this blog post a sign it’s time to give your website a little more love and attention. You wouldn’t send your sales team out with wrinkled, dirty print materials or t-shirts, would you? It’s time to make your online presence a priority, too.