What is a website? A website is a single domain that consists of many web pages. In 2019, I believe it is safe to assume that we use websites on a daily basis. But, what we all don’t know, is the countless benefits a website can bring to our business. It is surprising to witness how many businesses do not still have a website or online presence today!
Now, if you are a business owner and if you do not have a website, this post is for you. I will discuss the many benefits and marketing strategies you could use by simply having a business website. How you could leverage a professional website to increase sales and brand awareness with the lowest cost compared to all other alternatives.
Your business could be anything, from a small sushi outlet to a big supermarket chain, from a local school to a large university, what ever your business might be, ultimately the goal of it is to sell products or services to its customers. It is essential that your customers can find you (before your compititors).
Most consumers are looking online for information that will help them make smarter purchasing decisions. In fact, according to the eCommerce Foundation, 93% of consumers will research product information before they make a purchase online or in the store. This buying behavior trend emphasizes the importance of a website for today’s businesses.
Let’s discuss the importance of having a professional website for your business.
Marketing Your Business
The importance of a website for marketing extends to every aspect of your digital marketing strategy. As the backbone of your online presence, every type of communication, piece of content, or advertisement that you put online will drive the consumer back to your website. As such, it’s important that your website gives consumers a clear idea of what your brand is about and what types of products or services you offer.
Let’s start with your social media marketing. Though you use third-party social media sites to reach and engage with consumers, you have to have a place to send consumers to when they want to learn more about your business.
Your website serves as that “home base” where you can send customers when they want to make a purchase or learn more about a particular product or service you offer.
The importance of a website for content marketing is also significant. Your content needs a place to live. Whether it’s blog posts or product descriptions, you need a place to display that information so that prospective customers can find it. Your website is the perfect place to house all of the great content your business creates to inform and engage your target audience – just like this blog post you’re reading right now that’s providing you with more information.
Your website also plays an important role in your email marketing. If you are using email marketing to reach and engage your customers, then you need somewhere to send them to convert. Your website is the perfect place to guide your email subscribers to when you want them to learn more about a product or even make a purchase.
Grow Your Sales
The importance of a professional website for sales cannot be overstated. Sales are vital to any business. It is the only way that you can keep your business up and running. If you want to grow your business, improving sales is the best way to ensure the success of your business.
By having an online presence through your website, you are able to reach more consumers. The more consumers you reach online, the more opportunities you have to make a sale. Developing a website doesn’t automatically bring paying customers to your business. However, through search engine optimization of your website, you can improve your chances of bringing in more qualified leads who are more likely to make a purchase.
Not only does a website help you increase your sales opportunities, but it also increases your availability to make sales. With a website, you can sell your products and services around-the-clock. You don’t have to be actively engaging with leads on a constant basis because they are able to get the information they need from your site.
Additionally, your website offers another channel for sales. In addition to selling your products and services online, you can provide consumers with the information they need to make an informed purchasing decision. Effectively, the content that’s on your site serves as an additional sales person, helping customers get the information they need and convincing them of the benefits of your products or services.
24-Hour Accessibility
We touched on this when discussing the importance of a website a little bit earlier in the post, but it’s worth emphasizing again. A website provides accessibility to your target audience around the clock. Even when you and your team have checked out for the day, your website is still working hard to bring more customers to your business.
Imagine how many more sales you could make if you never slept. Well, luckily, you don’t have to give up sleep to reach your customers 24/7. With a website, you provide a place for consumers to see what your brand is about and learn more about your products and services, any time of the day or night.
If you make your products available for sale on your website, then consumers can even make purchases around the clock. By making it easy for consumers to browse and buy your products online, you’re making it as convenient as possible for leads to convert to customers.
And the best part is – you don’t physically have to be there to still reap the benefits of the sale. Your website serves as your own personal digital sales person. Your site gives the consumer what they need to know about the product, makes the sale, and collects their payment information online.
Trust & Credibility
The importance of a website for building credibility is also something that brands need to consider. In today’s digital marketplace, businesses without a website are seen as less credible. The reason for this is because most companies have a website, so those that don’t may look like they have something to hide.
How does a website help you build credibility? Well, it allows consumers to see what your brand is all about. In addition to showcasing your products and services, you can also tell consumers about your company and its mission. By helping consumers get to know your business, you are working to establish trust, which is the first step in building long-lasting customer relationships.
Use your website to establish authority. When it comes to finding a reputable business, consumers want to know where a brand stands in the industry. The content that you create and publish to your site helps show consumers that you know your stuff. By providing valuable and educational content, you can work to build stronger relationships with consumers and encourage conversions.
Not only does your website give you an opportunity to build credibility and authority, but it also helps you set yourself apart from the competition. Each company’s website content is unique. That means that you have the opportunity to show leads and customers what sets your business apart from the rest through customized content. You want to stay ahead of your competition. If they have a website and you don’t, then you immediately just lost a customer determining which business they wanted to use.
How To Get Started With Your Business Website
The importance of a website for your business success is clear. Without a website, you cannot reach and engage your target customers online. Even if you have a brick and mortar business that serves mostly local customers, your business can still benefit from a website.
In fact, we’d venture to say that if you want to do business in today’s modern marketplace, you need to have a website. But where do you start?
Getting started with a professional website for your business doesn’t have to be hard. There are a variety of website building services that you can use to design your own attractive website in just a few hours. Drag and drop website building services like SquareSpace and Wix are easy to use and affordable. If you have some web design knowledge, you can also use WordPress, which is free to get started.
However, if you are serious about launching a professional website and optimizing your site for the search engines, then you may want to work with a professional web design agency. Though working with web design professionals does require an up-front investment, you will find that the money you spend on professional web design services is well worth it.
For one, a web design agency knows what it takes to design a site that offers a positive user experience. They can create clean and simple navigation that makes it easy for your site visitors to find the content they are looking for. And even easier for them to make a purchase once they’ve found what they need.
A web design agency can also create web page content that is optimized for the search engines. SEO website content will make it easy for your target consumers to find you when they look for relevant topics and products on search engines like Google.
If you need help designing an attractive website that’s optimized for the search engines and easy to navigate, it’s time to call in the experts. Our web design team at Hozty provides WordPress web design services to help brands like yours reach new audiences online. To find out more about our web design services or to learn more about the importance of a website, contact us today.