You need a website. I don’t mean you personally, necessarily, but your business. Big business, just-starting business, been-around-for-a-few-years business…I don’t care who you are, you need a website. In fact, small or new businesses particularly benefit from a website.
But why?
Because that’s where the customers are. Most people—up to 80%—look online before shopping. They search for whatever service they need, from brooms to shoe repair to groceries to IT assistance, on sites like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. If your business is not online, they will not find you. Especially if you’re a new company, people may not know where to look. There are other reasons, as well, but this is the big one to which the others are all subsidiary.
People think you’re professional.
If you don’t have a website, people will be more inclined to think that maybe you’re trying to scam them, particularly if they don’t know your name already. Or that you’re too small to have a website or be important. Or that you are so behind the times you’re not worth their time. Not having a website seriously damages your image. (Of course, having a badly-designed website can do that quite easily, as well.)
It’s always there.
24-7, when your customers need you, there you are. They can find out what they need from your website (or at least they should be able to), like company name or contact details. They can find out about your services, your hours of operation, what other people think of you, and if you actually have something they need.
You can sell stuff.
People can find your website anywhere
It is easy to put your products or services online so people can see what you have, first of all, and buy it instantly which lots of people like. This is a chance for a new business to strut their stuff. Literally. Online shopping has been growing in a rush and taking advantage of that market is not so difficult, and it boosts sales.
It’s more informative and easier to pass along than a business card.
If someone found your company helpful or found themselves very satisfied by your product, it is hardly difficult for them to share your website. Posting it on Facebook or Twitter or Pinterest or wherever else on the Internet they care to do so is just a click away, or they could tell someone about your website, or share it in any number of other ways, all generating visits to your website and more potential customers. In fact, you could do the exact same thing. You could even put your business on your business card.
Everyone else is doing it.
I know, I know, your mom said this was no good reason to do anything. But on the other hand, if you see a whole bunch of kids going out all dressed up at Halloween and getting candy, are you going to stay inside because you don’t want to be like “everyone else?” Hardly. You’re going to put on your costume, or in this case get a website, and go join them. Otherwise, your competitors and all the other kids get all the customers who could have come to you. You need a website to keep up.
What Else?
Having a website isn’t enough. To go back to the Trick-or-Treating analogy, if you put on a costume and then sat around at home, you won’t get any candy. You have to put yourself out there and make sure people can see you. Big businesses are fairly visible, but new businesses need to up their visibility as much as possible so they can compete.
Try to increase your online presence.
There are a few things you can do. First of all, get the word out. Use that word of mouth marketing strategy, put out ads; make yourself not only find-able, but visible. Use SEO strategies to up your rankings in search engines. Fill your site with content, and make that content more than just words. Throw in a video and you’ll do well. The more people visit your site, the more popular will be, the more accessible your company will be, and the more people will visit your site. People will come to know you and trust you. Keep your website current and interactive and it will keep people coming. It will also keep them from wondering if you went out of business. In general, the better your online presence is, the more people will like you, and it will become a self-fulfilling cycle. You just need to make sure you can get it started. And part of getting it started is having a website in the first place.
Why Online Presence is Important