Why Do You Need a Website?
40% of customers do not trust a company that does not have an online presence!
Consumer behavior has evolved over time in response to the digital era’s evolving technologies. The thick yellow pages, for example, which were popular not long ago, have been replaced by online directories with the advent of the World Wide Web.
Today, the number of people who use the internet to find businesses has skyrocketed, and the yellow pages are nearly extinct. According to Adaptive Marketing, 97 percent of people searched online for a local business near them in 2017. As a result, if you want to grow your business by putting it in front of the right people, you must be found online – which means you must have a website. This blog post discusses the top ten reasons why your business, regardless of industry, needs a website in 2021.
Top 10 Reasons to Have a Business Website
Reason #1: Your Customers Expect It
Continuing from the previous point, your tech-savvy customers expect you to have a website where they can learn more about your company. Your website, on the other hand, can help you generate business, increase brand recall value, promote goodwill in front of customers and target audiences, and deliver powerful marketing messages. Consider this: your website delivers your marketing message 24 hours a day, 365 days a year! Aside from e-commerce websites, most professional websites are information-driven and aim to alleviate visitors’ problems.
Reason #2: It Offers Social Proof
What others say about your company has a big influence on customer behavior. People expect to see your website to learn more about your brand, even if it has a 5-star rating on review sites like FourSquare or Yelp. Because prospective buyers are already searching for you online, including customer testimonials on your website is an excellent way to impress them and provide social proof.
Reason #3. You Can Control the Narrative
While it is difficult to control what others say about you, you can influence your brand perception by writing your own story and publishing it on the website. When it comes to helping brands spread their message, vision, and mission, a website is far more effective than print ads or snail mail brochures. According to SEOTribunal, Google receives 5.6 billion searches per day, with 63,000 searches occurring every second. With that kind of search volume, it’s possible that someone is looking for your exact service right now. Guess who will get the business if you don’t have a website? Certainly not you! However, there is a competitor next door who has a fantastic-looking search-optimized website.
Reason #4: You Can Maximize Your Return On Investment (ROI)
In the age of digital transformation, building a website with free tools like WordPress.com not only saves money but also gives you more bang for your buck. A search-engine-optimized website allows you to reach thousands of additional potential customers without spending a lot of money. It can assist you in reaching a larger target audience to promote your services or products. Regardless of the industry, the content on a website influences purchasing decisions and commercial transactions.
Reason #5: A Website Adds To A Company’s Credibility
If you want to demonstrate to the rest of the world that you take your business seriously, it is time to invest in a professional website. In an age when more than half of smartphone users discover a new company or product while searching on their smartphones, failing to have a website can harm your credibility. According to one study, 75% of online users agreed to judge a company’s credibility based on the design of its website. In the end, people are more likely to engage with a company they can trust, and the website serves as a starting point for that relationship.
Reason #6: You Can Have More Constructive Conversations
The website is your platform for answering all of your potential customers’ basic questions about your company and brand. This is particularly true for B2B marketing firms. When people visit your website, they are looking for answers to basic questions such as what you do, your products/solutions, your location, contact information, and so on. When they are satisfied with everything, they decide whether or not to follow up. Just keep in mind that when providing such information, keep it simple and brief because today’s consumers expect instant gratification.
Reason #7: You Can Compete With Industry Giants
Did you know that having a website allows you to compete with the industry giants? When a website is optimized, it has a better chance of ranking higher and being in the right place at the right time. Bidding for the right keywords can boost your website traffic and influence your customers’ journey, which typically begins with research, recommendations, and reviews. One of the many ways to challenge your industry giants is to have a prominent position on the search results page. As a result, if you don’t dominate the Internet, you’re giving your customers a reason to shop elsewhere.
Reason #8: Social Media Reach Is Fading
If you believe that having a social media page is enough to attract new customers, think again. It is not sufficient to have a Facebook page because every other business does. According to Facebook, people spent 50 million fewer hours on Facebook in 2018 than the previous year. As a result, many businesses are now building websites rather than relying solely on social media networks. While social media networks have the potential to increase business, relying solely on them can be a costly mistake in the long run.
Reason #9: You Can Expand Your Working Hours
Having a website means that your content is accessible to users at any time of day, at their leisure. So, whether someone visits your website in the middle of the night or during the day, you’re always interacting with them in some way, and you can say goodbye to the ‘closed for business’ sign. Being accessible at all times aids marketing and significantly increases sales, which is especially important for e-commerce businesses. It is also a step toward better customer service and relationship building, especially if you have AI-powered chatbots on your website that can solve basic problems for your customers when they need it most.
Reason #10. You Can Showcase Your Offers
It cannot be overstated that a website is your target audience’s first point of contact with your brand. You have complete control over how your company is positioned. You can also provide short video tutorials or downloadable PDF instructions in addition to displaying your offerings with features. You can also highlight your awards, testimonials, and all of the features that can alleviate the pain points of your visitors. This increases the average amount of time your customers spend on your website and may influence their decision to contact you.
Final Takeaway
Having a professionally designed, brand-differentiating website is critical to increasing sales, increasing profits, and growing your business. It allows you to put your brand’s story in front of the right target audience. Furthermore, having a basic website costs pennies but can provide huge returns in the long run.
So, rather than asking why your company needs a website, ask why not!