Whether you are starting out on your small business venture or have been in business without a website, there is no better time than now to have a website. With the digital landscape expanding by the minute, having a website is no longer a luxury, but more of a necessity. If you are wanting to have the best competitive advantage in your niche, a website is going to be one of your best investments. Today, we are going to look at how important a website is for a small business.
It's Usually The First Impression
First impressions are everything, especially with a business. However, with less people going out and shopping, the first impression many people have of a business is usually your website. However, if a customer is searching for a product that you offer and cannot find a website for your business, this could negatively affect their impression of your business. A nice, professionally built website can make an impression that lasts and outshines your competitors.
It Allows Customers To Find Your Business
When someone is searching for a product or service that you offer on Google, you are going to want them to find you. Without a website, it is like you don’t even exist. Having a website that is fully built out will allow you to give the customer all of the information they may have about your business, all in one place.
You Can Showcase Your Services
For those who are in the service industry, a website is a great way to list out the different services you offer, why they should be purchased, and how much they will cost. This can drastically cut down on the time spent on the phone with people who are just “shopping around” and allow you to spend more time with people who are ready to order your service. This can save you valuable time and man hours.
You Can Show Off Your Reviews & Testimonials
Consumers want to purchase from people that they trust. By not having a website, you are relying solely on word of mouth to spread the word of your business. A website will allow you to showcase your reviews and connect with customers who leave reviews. Even with negative reviews, you can respond and make it right which not only gains a customer for life, but shows others that you are a good business who will go out of their way to make things right.
It Is A Great Way To Show Off Your Product Line
For those who are in the retail business, showcasing your product line online is a great way to get customers in the door, or even order online. Building an ecommerce site can allow you to have customers order online without even stepping in the door. This can result in lower overhead costs and a better experience for customers who prefer to shop from the comfort of their own home. This can be invaluable during times where walk in business can be slow such as rainy days, days you are closed, and even if you want to shut down for renovations. Shopping online allows for many more opportunities for a business.
You Can Use It To Help Rank In Google
When a customer is searching for an item that you sell on Google, you obviously want your website to pop up at the top of the results. While this is most likely not going to happen right out of the gate, building upon your website and having users visit your site will help increase your rankings in Google’s Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs).
It Allows You To Have A Landing Page For Ads
If you are wanting to run Facebook, Google, Bing, or Instagram ads, you are going to want a landing page on your site for the consumer to make a purchase. Building out your site to include everything that a customer needs to make an educated purchasing decision greatly increased your chances of a conversion. You can even work on landing page optimizations to really dial in your site.
You Can Have A Competitive Advantage
By having a professionally built site made for your business, you can take the competitive advantage over others in your industry. Websites are some of the most undervalued marketing tools among small businesses. Hiring a professional to dial in your website and give it all of the features your competitors are missing can be a huge boost to your business. Take some time to shop around on your competitors site to see what you would do differently and implement these strategies on your own site.
It Is A Great Place To Talk About/Show Your Business
When someone visits your website, they are most likely going to be curious about your business. This is the perfect place to add photos, an about us section, and even small bios about your team. This will give potential customers a better understanding of your business and make them feel more comfortable shopping with you. Giving a brief history of your business is also encouraged to give consumers a background of where you came from, your mission statement, and what you currently offer.
The Marketing Possibilities Are Endless
A website is like building a base for your marketing efforts. Once you have a site, you can always add on and optimize it to be better than it was. This can be done by adding content, optimizing your content for better SEO, adding landing pages, featuring reviews, and even using it to show off sales and new products.
Conclusion
To sum it all up, having a website is going to be something you will need to compete in this new digital era. While the idea of building a site can be stressful as there is a learning curve that will cost you time and money, Cedarsphere is here to do the heavy lifting. Give us a call today to discuss our affordable website building services to start working your business to the top of Google.