In the days of social media, Google My Business, and online marketplaces, it is completely understandable that you may wonder why you’d need a website at all. Well, there are a lot of reasons you DO need one, and we’re not just telling you this because creating websites is our business; we’re telling you this because we’re entrepreneurs, too, and we’ve experienced first hand the benefits and the necessity of having websites for many of our independent projects!
Here are some of the reasons why every business (even a small one) still needs to have a website:
A website shows your credibility & increases confidence in your brand
Having (and curating) a presence on Google My Business is important for businesses these days, as is having a presence on social media and getting reviews on review sites. But those are just three pieces of the puzzle. Having a website of your own is a critical piece!
A lot of people feel like a business isn’t serious if they don’t have a website to call their own, even if they have a strong presence on social media, review sites and Google My Business. Organic search results are even stronger when you have a website for people to refer to. Having a website increases the clout of your presence on every other site you’re represented on, and having your own domain name listed on your business card and marketing materials makes your potential clients feel more confident in your business. Having a website tells them that you’ve put in the time, money and effort to create and maintain a site, as opposed to others who may not have.
A website extends your reach to new customers
It’s possible that business may be pretty good without having a website at all… after all, word of mouth is the best kind of referral to get! However, if you rely only on your existing customers to refer new customers or you rely on just social media to get the word out, you’re missing out on a boatload of brand new customers that are searching for your product or service out on the web. Yes, you may be reaching some customers by having social media or information in an online directory somewhere, but again, we go back to the credibility section above. For example, if you’re looking for a product or service on the web and a list of similar companies comes up in your search, are you more likely to click on the one that lists a website so that you can check them out, or are you going to immediately call the one that lists only a phone number?
You need a website to you gain control of your platform
Social Media platforms, online marketplaces and other free services (and even those you do pay for) are like consignment shops… you put your content in someone else’s space and they determine the rules of the game. They determine how things are displayed, rules for things that can be displayed, and even how much of a cut they take on any sales you might make. Having your own website means that you can display what you want, when you want, and how you want it. On your own site, you can determine how and what content is displayed, how people interact with that content, and the only people taking a cut of your sales is your payment processor (PayPal, Stripe, etc).
Not only that, but your website can be so much more than a store. A website is an open ended place where you can show your visitors why they need your product, how your product will make their lives better, and how your product is better than other solutions out there. You can blog, display infographics, show videos, detailed photos, customer testimonials, and many other things to help sell your product. With the limitations of an online marketplace, you will not likely find all of the options that you’ll need to tell this story.
So maybe you’re thinking… “Well, I don’t sell anything. I provide a service. Maybe I don’t need a website..?” Wait just a minute… that is an incorrect assumption! 🙂 You still need a website. It’s just as important for service providers as it is for product sellers. This is an opportunity to tell your story and to let your potential customers get to know you and feel confident in engaging in business with you. Control that story and tell it in a way that is uniquely you by having control over your platform.
Exclude Your Competition. The space is YOURS!
Think of an online marketplace (Etsy, Amazon, etc) as a mall, and your shop might be one of a hundred vendors selling the same or very similar products. On the one hand, you have the benefit of lots of traffic to your store and lots of eyeballs seeing your products. On the other hand, you’ve got 99 other people competing for that business. Depending on your business and your product, this could be a very beneficial trade-off. If you’re in either of those groups, consider this: Why not have a shop of your own? This could be instead of or even in addition to your marketplace site! By having your own site, you exclude the competition — when your visitors are on your site, they see only your products, not anyone else’s. There is no “look at this similar product at Shop XYZ over here” to distract your visitor. Just something to consider.
Your business does need a website, but it does NOT need to be expensive!
If you are willing to put in some time and effort, a website can be very inexpensive! Here at Roost Web Strategies one of the first things that we talk about with every new potential client is “True Budget”… your budget is not all about money; it can also include time, knowledge and the effort you’re willing to contribute to your website project. Our first half hour consultation is free, so please reach out to us if you are mulling over the possibility of getting a website for your business. We are happy to help you start building a web strategy right away!
