There is No Excuse for Not Having a Website for Your Business

Whether you sell products online or conduct a service in person, your business needs a website. In this century, a website is going to help you not only drive traffic to your business, but it will also help you to build credibility and authority within your industry. Customers are always using the internet to conduct research about their problems and to find a product or service. If you have a visible website, then they will be able to get to know your brand and  help them on a deeper level. 

A website provides you with an opportunity to showcase your brand, how you have helped previous customers, how you can solve the problems of your target audience, and provide lots of value to assist them on their journey. 

A website is a valuable asset for all kinds of businesses around the world. 

What is your excuse for not having a website for your business?

If you are not sure why you need a website, how you can benefit from one, or how to even get started with setting a website up and making it visible to your audience, this post will help you with everything you need to know. 

What is a website for your business?

A website is a platform on the internet that enables you to showcase your brand. It is an extension of your business and a way for potential customers to find you on the internet and connect with you. 

It serves as the digital face of your business - where you can tell people who you are, what you do, why they should invest in you, and what value you can offer them. On your website, you can house all the information about you and your business, as well as testimonials and a portfolio, content blogs, and much more. This will help customers become aware of you, trust you, and eventually, buy from you. 

Reasons why your business needs a website

There are hundreds of reasons why your business needs a website, from making your business modern to connecting with customers. If you are not sure whether you should have a website or even want one, here are some important reasons why a business can benefit from a website that you should consider. 

Makes your business modern

Websites are not a new thing, they have been around for a long time now. However, many businesses around the world still resist using a website for their business. Many business owners rely on word of mouth or foot traffic. While this is excellent, there is going to be a whole market of customers out there that you are missing out on by not having a website. 

The most common way people will start their research or find a product or business is to search on Google. Even if you are a local restaurant, many people will perform this search rather than walk around the town to find one. This is the modern way of doing things. If you have a website, then you will put your business in front of these customers who choose to use technology to make decisions. 

It will also make your business more modern and competitive overall. Not having a website is very old-fashioned. 

Connect with customers

A website is an excellent way to help you connect with customers on a more personal level. A website is completely customizable, so you can utilize it in any way that you wish to connect with your customers. You can do this via the design of the website, the journey that you take your customers on, the value you can provide through content, what you can show them about your business, the testimonials you can share, and more. 

You can also utilize additional technology to better connect with your customers through your website. Previously, a website would just contain a contact form or a phone number. This would mean a customer would have to leave your website and wait on hold to speak to someone on the phone, or fill out the form and wait 3-5 business days for a response. But now, AI chatbots transforming the internet is a new phenomenon. With this technology, you can be available to connect with your customers 24/7. 

Showcase your work and value

A website can act as one big portfolio. It enables you to showcase your services and products, the successful work that you have completed for previous customers, provide lots of value through blogs, guides and tutorials, and much more. You can house anything you want on your website that will provide a unique customer journey and show customers why they should choose you over their competitors. 

Meet customers at different stages of the sales funnel

Customers are all on different journeys. Some are ready to buy, whereas some are not aware of your solution just yet. Through web pages and content, you can create a strategy that enables your website to meet customers at all different stages of the sales funnel. This widens your net and opens your business up to more of your target audience. You can start to plant seeds and increase brand awareness before your competitors get in there. 

Stay competitive 

Websites are very common now, which means your competitors are likely to have them. If you don’t have a website, then all that traffic that could be coming from search engines is going to go to your competitors. This should be reason enough to create a website for your business. A website will ensure you stay competitive in the market.

Through the use of content, you will also be able to build your credibility and authority in your industry which will be housed on your website. Social media content is great, but a website enables you to create all kinds of content, such as long-form content.  

Drive traffic to your business

By having a website that is well-optimized, it will be visible in search engines. This means users who are conducting the relevant searches, will find you on Google. This can drive a whole new traffic source to your website. You can utilize Google Ads to drive traffic, but with search engine optimization (SEO) you will be able to drive organic traffic for free. This is a long-term and sustainable approach for all businesses. 

How to set up a website for your business

If you are convinced you need a website for your business, then the next hurdle is setting one up. 

You will need to first consider your skills, time, and budget. You can set up a website yourself, or you can work with a website developer. Here are some top tips for setting up a website yourself. 

Define your goals

It is important to plan out your website and define the goals for your website. Why do you want it and what do you want to achieve? This will ensure you set up the right kind of website with the right attributes. For example, an eCommerce website will look different from a website for a hotel. 

Choose your domain name

You will need to choose your domain name, preferably your business name so you can easily be found and trusted by your target audience and customers. You can purchase a domain name from a variety of sources, such as GoDaddy. 

Choose your web hosting

A web host is a server that stores all the website information and makes it available on the internet. You will have to find a reputable company that has good reviews and fast speeds, such as Site Ground. 

Choose your content management system (CMS)

This is how the information on your website is customized and presented to users. A popular CMS is WordPress. You can also use Squarespace, Shopify, or Wix. Some of these include hosting and other benefits. 

Build your webpages

Now you have the basics of your website, you will need to log into the back end and start creating web pages and adding your content. You should also customize your website with your brand and ensure there is a clear journey you take customers on. Utilise SEO here to ensure that your pages are relevant to users and can be found by search engines. Try to speak to your customers and connect with them. Consider their customer persona and their problems, ensuring you tell them how you can solve them.

Share your website

Make sure you tell people about your website. You also want to make sure your website is linked across all your other platforms. So if you have a Google Business Profile and social media accounts, make sure your website is linked to them all. This will help you create a customer journey, taking them off those 3rd party platforms and driving them to your own. Use SEO and other marketing activities to make your website visible to the world. 

A website is one of the most important assets your business will own. Make sure you get one set up and leverage all the benefits.