5 Reasons Why Your Small Business Needs a Website

It is becoming more and more common for small business owners to avoid building their own website, turning to social media to be the main face of their digital marketing. According to research by Clutch.co, more than 36% of small businesses don't have a website. While your business may have performed well so far without one, it is generally understood that creating a website is the most critical piece to a basic marketing strategy.

Consumers typically consult at least three sources before making a decision to purchase from a business. This could include a web search, social media, and the website of that business. In addition, research shows that 30% of consumers won't even consider a business that doesn't have a website. Perhaps you have a Facebook page that displays your business hours, phone number, and other contact info, but if you want to capitalize on your target market's potential, it is time to up your marketing strategy and create a website for your business.

Below are 5 reasons why it is critical for your small business to have a website.

1. Drive Organic Traffic

Every company experiences turnover in customers. Even if you are the best business in your area with the most amazing products and services, consumers will have a hard time finding you if you don't have a website. Multiple surveys have shown that 95% of consumers have utilized a search engine to find local businesses.

If you want to be found by local (and non-local) consumers, you need a site that ranks high on search engines, and Google usually doesn't include Facebook pages in its rankings. Organic traffic includes visitors to your site who found you organically (without ads). By hosting a website that ranks high on Google searches, you can count on a steady stream of organic traffic clicking on and entering your website.

2. Increase Credibility

Consumers make decisions on companies based on the layout, design, and typography of a website. Customers want to learn more about your business and what you offer, and websites offer concise catalogs for learning more.

In addition, having your own website will give you a branded email address (e.g. info@yoursite.com) which adds a level of professionalism to your brand. It also allows you to separate work from personal life if you have used a personal email address to conduct business up to this point.

3. Define your Brand Image

Facebook and other platforms allow the public to shape your identity through their reviews and comments, but your website is how you carefully set the narrative to interest consumers in the way you want. Your logo, images, and even fonts have an impact on your customers' opinions of you, and give your brand a story.

By using high-quality images and well-written content, your brand can shine in the minds of consumers, giving your business a boost above the competition.

4. Showcase your products

When searching for a new place to eat, one of the first steps a person takes is to look at the menu of the restaurant. If a business doesn't have a website, the customer can't easily find what they're looking for and instead will look elsewhere. This is true in all aspects of life, not only dining out.

Your website is your virtual storefront which invites customers to form opinions on the value of your goods and services. According to a study by Oracle, 75% of consumers say the quality of product images is essential in selecting and purchasing products online. If you don't have a website, consumers have a much harder time visualizing your business and product quality, and can't easily decide the trustworthiness of your business.

5. Display Top Reviews and Testimonials

Social acceptance is a quick way to win new customers over. While you may have great reviews on Facebook or Google, showcasing them on your own website allows you to control the picture. You also will be able to permanently archive these reviews on your own site, preventing their loss in the future.

If your business has appeared in newspapers or magazines, you can feature those on your website, creating backlinks which improve SEO. You can also create pages to permanently host the articles, protecting them from being removed if other sites hosting the pages go down.

Next Steps

Now that you understand the importance of building a website for your business, what do you do next? Most small businesses only need small sites, which can be set up with minimal effort from the business owner. Submit a contact inquiry today to learn more about how to start building a website for your brand.