Why your business needs a website and how to make the leap

It’s safe to say that all businesses today need a website to succeed.

A figure from a recent Google survey states that 50% of American businesses do not yet have a website and that businesses that use the web are expected to grow 40% faster than those who don’t.

Fortunately, making a website today is easy, manageable and cost effective with an inexpensive or free website builder (such as wix or weebly) or outsourcing to a trusted professional web design/development company.

But the question remains, why have a website to begin with? If you don’t currently have one, should you make the leap? Is it worth it, especially when you’ll be one of millions? Yes! Absolutely! It is the single most inexpensive and effective way to advertise your business and to reach customers, prospects, or anyone else searching online.  Your competitors probably already have one, and if you don’t then they have a huge advantage over you.

The biggest benefits are:

• Reaching new customers: You are providing a universal avenue for customers and prospects to find your company. Having a good website shows professionalism and provides customers and prospects with an easy way to engage and share your business online. In essence, your website is available and ready to promote you when you are not. It’s self-sustaining and the best way to attract new customers.

• Build brand awareness: A website is an opportunity to express the best aspects of your company in a visual, easy to understand way. It is an extension of your business and your brand. You can present your solutions, services, and products in detail without having to make a pitch. Your site sells for you and allows visitors to read leisurely about what your company has to offer, before making an informed decision to do business with you. You can add and edit content when you see fit, making it a benefit to you as well as to your visitors.

• Get information about your customers: A website is also a learning tool for you to understand who your customers are, what they want, and how they are buying. You can track your visitors and the avenues they take to reach you. This helps you narrow in on your target audience. The more you learn about your customer’s behavior when searching online or interacting with your site, the better chance you have at increasing sales.

• Speed up communication:  A website opens up a two-way communication pathway. Website visitors can easily give feedback on your website and marketing through social media and through your contact form. The truth is that people are already discussing your brand and comparing you to competitors. Keep communication open by building a website, engaging with your customers and followers and being a part of the conversation.

• Search Engine Optimization: A good website will is built with SEO in mind. This will help you gain better rankings in search engine result pages and this translates to more targeted visits and essentially to more customers. This also translates to better conversions i.e. visitors coming to your website are more likely to become customers, subscribers or loyal visitors.

You may be thinking you can’t afford a professional website, but in reality you can’t afford NOT to have one. Although the cost of designing a website varies, once it’s up and running, a website for a small business generally costs under $100 a month and, in some cases, as little as $20. You will need a domain name – typically $10-15 annually, a web host – typically $10-$20 per month, and the manpower to develop and maintain the site. Once up and running, the site requires very little daily maintenance and will pay off exponentially. Compared with the cost of a newspaper ad, when you consider the potential market you can reach with a website, it is a very cost effective way to promote your business.

If you don’t have a website, leave us a comment and tell us how you are doing business.