With more people online now than ever before, it’s critical for your business to have an online presence. Having a well-designed website with vital information about your business is the easiest and best ways to promote your brand. These 10 reasons will show you why a professional website is important, no matter what the size of your business.
Your competitor has a website.
People once used the yellow pages of the phone book to find a local business. Now, your customer searches online for your services. If you do not have an online presence, your competitors will be more than happy to take your potential customers. It is as simple as this – if your customer cannot find you, they cannot hire you or buy your products.
Your customer expects you to have a website.
A small business website gives you credibility and a presence in the business community. Even if a customer hears about you from word of mouth, chances are they will check out your website before ever contacting you. If you don’t have a website, savvy customers are liable to wonder about your professionalism.
Your website serves as a first impression to your clients.
Just like a storefront, a website provides a calculated image and appeals to a targeted audience. A website can give the impression of quality, professionalism, and competency at a glance. An attractive, informational, and mobile ready website reflects well on your business and serves as a modern business card.
A small business website is never closed.
Customers search for services at various times of the day and night. A website gives you the opportunity to provide vital information to your customers 24 hours a day.
An online presence gives you lots of bang for your buck.
More than any other form of small business advertising, a website gives you the ability to reach the world for a relatively low cost. Advertisements, whether on radio, television, or in print media have a short shelf life. A website serves as an eternal advertisement for your business and has a worldwide reach.
A web presence enables you to easily update information.
Whether it is pricing, business hours, or new products, information can be changed quickly on a website so your customers always have correct information.
A business website can be used to educate your customers.
A current website provides value to customers and can be used to not only sell products and services but to also educate customers about those products and services.
A website gives you an online connection with customers.
You can sell products directly, provide a FAQ page for customers, or provide a Contact Page so customers can contact you with their details or additional questions. Think of a website as an outstanding employee who is always available to interact with your customers.
Your website provides a social media hub.
If you have accounts on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, or any other form of social media you can provide links to your accounts in one place.
A business website allows you to reach your customer base through a variety of media.
Photographs, videos, and product demonstrations can all be displayed on your small business website. Just as people learn in different ways, customers are reached in different ways and a website allows you to cast several hooks into the water.