What is the importance of a website in Business?
Imagine that you need help planning a party, a replacement part on your vehicle, or a tune-up for your Theremin. How do you find a local business to help you? If you’re like most people, your first move is probably to pull out your phone and do a web search for it.
What is the importance of a website for local businesses?
Let’s say you sell pet turtles. Physically visiting your brick-and-mortar location is probably a necessary part of the customer experience. In such circumstances, it’s reasonable to assume that as long as your storefront has a legible marquee and a flashy front window display, browsers will come in and your staff will convert them to customers. Yet even if all of your turtle transactions happen in-person, your customers are still looking for you online.
How do your customers find you?
People search online for everything nowadays. Even when looking for a physical store to do offline business, a website is important because the customer journey almost always starts online. It’s essential for local businesses to have an online presence so local customers can find them.
Everyone searches online
Even in places where most businesses have very little online presence, the vast majority of consumers find information about goods and services online. According to an article on Linkedin, “97% of people who need to find a local business first searched online.”
They are going to find someone online, why not you?
Many of your local competitors probably have an online presence, or are engaging in some digital marketing efforts. When your prospective customer searches online, they are statistically more likely to click on the top search results, more likely to trust a business website with a professional look and helpful content, and more likely to call or purchase once they’ve read enough compelling information about the product or service. Wouldn’t it be awesome if that was your professional website with the top placement that ended up getting the sale?
Your professional website is your hub; everything else stems from it.
What are the benefits of using website in business operations?
Your business website serves as your central command center. Referrals, web searches, and marketing drive people to your site. From there, you can guide them to other places (such as your newsletter, or to Google reviews). Having this central location for all of your information saves you a lot of time and gives your customers a single place to go to when they need information or when they need to reach you.
A business website makes you look professional
Before the internet, customers expected businesses to have phone numbers. An unlisted business was considered shady, untrustworthy, or simply unprofessional. Finding business information online has become so much a part of the modern customer experience, consumers have trouble trusting businesses without websites.
Customers nowadays expect businesses to be reachable 24/7
In today’s digital world, more and more customers expect to be able to do business on-demand. This is especially relevant for global businesses. With a website, your potential customer base can interact with your business and even make purchases while you sleep.
Complement digital marketing efforts
Today’s consumers want to research companies before deciding who gets their business. Sure, your business listing shows up in search results; but if there’s no web link for consumers to click on to learn more, what do you think are the chances that they’ll pick up the phone to call you, when they could take the easy route of clicking on a competitors’ link instead? If your business doesn’t have a website, the money you spend on marketing may be wasted.
Why is website content important for business?
Long gone are the days when businesses could have just a single web page with business locations and contact info on it. To run a successful business, you do need a website, but not just any website. High-visibility websites are one of the key elements businesses use to grow without spending astronomical amounts on advertising. How can you ensure your business website has high visibility and generates leads and sales?
Importance of website copy for humans AND robots
Compelling content can definitely improve the user experience and convert leads to sales. Yet the way you present and phrase that content affects whether or not customers can even find your business online in the first place. The practice of writing and formatting content in a way that makes Google gaga for your website is called search engine optimization (SEO).
Cost-effective marketing to potential customers
SEO is a cost efficient way to drive web traffic to your web page. SEO provides organic traffic and drives relevant users to your business website at no ongoing cost or very minimal cost.
Information exchange
Commercial websites that educate customers establish credibility for their respective businesses. Providing educational content and advice at no cost have proven success records at converting leads.
What are the benefits of a website being optimized?
Many businesses don’t really understand the importance of website SEO. Which is fine; as long as they work with a web development company who does, like The Concept Spot. Well-optimized content helps generate leads automatically. Paid search engine marketing can be expensive, but optimization can get your business placed higher in the unpaid (organic) search results. Organic traffic equals cost-effective leads, without the ongoing expense of a paid search engine marketing advertisement.
Do I need a website if I have a Facebook page?
Establishing a Facebook page or other social media presence is more than just an additional way to drive traffic to your online business. Because of its interactive nature, social media is a great way to engage with potential customers online, solicit feedback and input, and build a community around your brand. Yet relying solely on social media platforms for your business’ entire online presence puts you at several disadvantages.
Reasons to have a website in addition to a Facebook business page
First, the reach of a social media page is limited. If some members of your customer base aren’t on a certain social platform, they may never find you. With the complexity of signing up procedures and social implications of joining various platforms, most consumers aren’t going to join a specific social network or download an app just to view your company’s portfolio.
Establish credibility and build trust
Having a dedicated website also lends legitimacy to your business, especially for paying customers considering purchases at an online store. Customers nowadays expect businesses to have a professional website, and are skeptical of small businesses they’ve never heard of. After all, anyone can create a Facebook page for free, and say pretty much whatever they want on it.
Facebook has SEO limitations
A search engine will typically list your business Facebook page lower than they would a dedicated business website when people search for products and services in your industry. On the flip side, establishing a business website early on helps with SEO later on, since online searches will generally list your website higher the longer the website has been around. Also, when your prospective customers visit your Facebook page, Facebook will probably display ads relevant to their search, guiding customers away from you and into the arms of your competitors.
You have complete control over your website
Worst of all, you are not really in control of your social media profiles. Your page or account could be inactivated by the social media platforms who host it, sometimes without notice or recourse. Having your own professional website is important to retain control over your brand image and online presence.
You need a website and a Facebook page
A website is far better than social media alone, but cannot necessarily fill the niche that social media fills. Ideally, your business will have both a Facebook page for community engagement, and a website for customer education, conversion, and support. Maintain this combination web presence and your business grows exponentially.
Why is a website important in real life?
A website is important not just to the customer, but to also to you, the owner. Having a great website can help you as a business owner lead a quality life by freeing you up from the tedious minutiae of running a business. The importance of a website to your peace of mind cannot be overstated.
How can a great website make your life easier?
Prospective customers calling to ask the same questions over and over? A Chatbot can be programmed to address frequent customer queries using template answers. Keep forgetting to follow up with leads? Having news contact forms for visitors to subscribe to products and services newsletters keeps in touch with customers for you. Customers leaving angry messages (or worse, bad reviews) because they can’t reach someone at your business right away, 24/7? Providing customer support online can automate much of the process, sparing you from waking up to answer the phone at 4 am.
What are the benefits of websites built by The Concept Spot?
In short, building a website is about more than just cute design, a bit of writing, and posting a few photos. Fortunately, The Concept Spot has the knowledge to help you avoid frustrating problems, and the expertise to build a website you (and your target audience, and search engines) will love. You need only put in as much effort as you want to.
Building your website can be easy
At a minimum, you will need to:
- fill out a simple questionnaire to get started (don’t worry, we can do this with you so you can ask questions as we go),
- Provide basic relevant information you want to communicate to potential customers, or addressing frequent customer queries,
- Provide precise and relevant information about your product, service, or physical store, if applicable, and
- Approve design choices, content, and copy.
That’s it. We can take it from there, with as much or as little involvement from you as you please.
Professional web design benefits
The Concept Spot does more than make your website pretty and user-friendly. We provide a comprehensive back-end service that accounts for things most business owners never even consider.
- We set up your domain and hosting for you (if needed) with 24/7 support.
- We build your custom SEO optimized website (including text, imagery, and call-to-action buttons) to ensure that search engines drive relevant users to your .
- We make sure your site is compliant with the law (unlike a physical store, online businesses break geographical barriers, and requirements vary across the global market).
- We make sure your new and existing customers can call you at the touch of a button.
In addition, we partner with digital marketing strategies specialists. Digital marketing can help your business build brand awareness and drive customers to your website. Once your new website is live, our partners can take over seamlessly to maximize the effectiveness of your business website over time.
TLDR: Why are websites important for every small business?
In summary, what are the best reasons to have a business website, no matter the size of your small business?
- Finding you online is an essential step in your customer’s journey 97% of the time.
- Websites build brand awareness, boosting your company’s reputation.
- An optimized business website gives lasting value as a marketing tool.
- Non-stop customer support and education converts leads to sales while you’re hands-off.
- Automation can provide greater growth opportunity on a smaller operating budget.
- Websites improve customer service experiences, leading to happy customers and positive reviews.
- A business website lets you sell online to a wider customer base.
- Online forms and cookies help with simplifying data collection.
- Website analytics help you understand your customers, and provide valuable insight into what your customers desire.
- Showcasing and explaining your products and services on a website can convert leads to sales or even upsell your product or service without you having to work.
Optimizing your online impact
In conclusion, the importance of a website for your business just cannot be emphasized enough. Whether your business is global, or you just want local kids to come in and buy your turtles, a well-designed and optimized website will help you meet your goals.
Customers increasingly go online to search for products and services. Your business website acts as as a one-stop hub where they can research what they need, grow to like and trust your business, contact you, and make a purchase.
Building a high-visibility website for low-stress business success
The benefits of an SEO optimized website extend even beyond those listed in this article. Your website is not just a virtual storefront; it’s a powerful tool that can help you streamline, grow, and achieve financial success.
To capitalize on all the advantages of a professional business website, consider partnering with The Concept Spot. We promise a comprehensive web building experience, that covers your bases without adding to your stress. Contact us today to take the first step towards your business’ ultimate potential.
