As the world increasingly goes digital, local businesses will need to have a website in order to remain competitive. In fact, a recent study by Zippia.com found that in 2022, 71 percent of small businesses have their own website. 81 percent of shoppers have a tendency to research a business online before making a purchase.
There are several reasons for this trend. First, more and more consumers are using the internet to find local businesses. According to Google, 88 percent of consumers search for local businesses online on their smartphone, and they tend to go to a related storefront within the week after searching for it. This means that if your business doesn’t have a website, you’re missing out on a huge portion of potential customers.
Second, a website gives you a chance to showcase your products and services in a way that is easy for potential customers to find and understand. With a website, you can control the narrative about your business, rather than relying on third-party reviews or social media posts.
Third, a website allows you to collect customer data that can be used to improve your marketing efforts. By tracking website visitors, you can see which marketing channels are driving the most traffic to your site and then adjust your strategy accordingly.
Finally, a website gives you a professional image that can help you attract new customers and build trust with existing ones. In an increasingly competitive market, having a polished website can be the difference between winning and losing business.
Having a Website Makes Your Business More Credible and Professional
In today’s digital world, customers expect businesses to have a website. In fact, a study by Microsoft found that 91 percent of consumers said they wouldn’t buy from a business that didn’t have a website.
This is because a website gives your business a level of credibility and professionalism that can be hard to achieve without one. A well-designed website shows that you’re serious about your business and that you’re willing to invest in its success.
Customers also appreciate being able to find all the information they need about your business in one place. With a website, they can easily learn about your products or services, read customer reviews, and even make a purchase without ever having to step into your store.
In short, a website is essential for building trust with potential customers and establishing your business as a credible source of information and products.
Your Website Can Help You Generate More Leads and Sales
A website can also be a powerful tool for generating leads and sales. By including calls to action (CTAs) on your site, you can encourage visitors to take the next step in the buyer’s journey, whether that’s signing up for your newsletter, requesting a free consultation, or making a purchase.
You can also use your website to capture customer data, such as email addresses and phone numbers. This data can then be used for targeted marketing campaigns that are more likely to result in a sale.
In addition, by selling products or services directly from your website, you can bypass the need for brick-and-mortar stores entirely. This not only saves you money on overhead costs, but it also allows you to reach a wider audience of potential customers.
Websites Are More Affordable and Easier to Build Than Ever Before
One of the biggest myths about websites is that they’re expensive and difficult to build. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Today, there are a number of platforms, such as WordPress and Squarespace, that make it easy to create a professional-looking website without any prior experience or design skills. These platforms also offer a wide range of features, such as ecommerce capabilities and contact forms, that can be added with just a few clicks.
What’s more, thanks to the proliferation of web hosting and domain name providers, it’s now cheaper than ever to get a website up and running. In fact, you can often get started for less than $100 per year.
Having a Website is Your Foundation for a Successful Business
This means that any business, no matter its size or budget, can have a website that looks and functions just as well as one that cost thousands of dollars to build.
In other words, there’s really no excuse for not having a website in today’s business landscape. If you don’t have one, you’re missing out on a valuable opportunity to connect with your customers, generate leads and sales, and build a foundation for long-term success.
You Can Use a More Strategic Process to Find and Target Customers
As the world becomes increasingly digital, more and more customers are using the internet to research potential purchases. In fact, a recent study by Google found that 97% of consumers use the internet to find local businesses.
This means that if you don’t have a website, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to reach new customers. By creating a website, you can make it easy for potential
customers to find your business online and learn about what you have to offer.
What’s more, with a website, you can target your marketing campaigns more strategically. For example, by including keywords in your website content that are related to your products or services, you can improve your chances of appearing in search engine results pages (SERPs) for those terms. This, in turn, can help you attract more website visitors who are actually interested in what you have to offer.
Build a Better Brand with a Website
Your website is also an important tool for building and reinforcing your brand. By creating a consistent look and feel for your website, you can help ensure that your customers always have a positive and memorable experience when they interact with your business.
In addition, by regularly publishing high-quality content on your site, such as blog posts and infographics, you can position yourself as an authoritative source of information in your industry. This, in turn, can help build trust and loyalty among your customer base.
Building out other assets like social media accounts and an email list are also important for promoting your brand, but your website should be the foundation of your online presence.
It’s Much Easier to Present Your Products and Services
If you sell products or services, your website is an essential tool for showcasing what you have to offer. With a website, you can include detailed descriptions, photos, and videos that show potential customers exactly what they would be getting if they decided to do business with you.
In addition, by setting up an online store on your website, you can make it easy for customers to purchase your products or services directly from your site. And, if you offer digital products or services, such as ebooks or courses, you can use your website to deliver those products directly to your customers.
Overall, having a website gives you a lot more flexibility in how you present your products and services to potential customers. It also makes it easier for them to learn about what you have to offer and make a purchase.
Make Your Website Work for You with Lead Generation
In addition to helping you sell products and services, your website can also be an important tool for generating leads. By including forms on your website, you can collect contact information from potential customers who are interested in what you have to offer.
You can then use this information to follow up with those leads and continue nurturing them until they’re ready to buy. In addition, by setting up automated email marketing campaigns, you can stay in touch with your leads on a regular basis and continue to promote your products or services, even when you’re not actively working on generating new leads.
Get Ahead of Your Competition
Finally, it’s important to keep in mind that your competition is almost certainly already online. In fact, according to a recent survey, 78% of small businesses already have a website.
This means that if you don’t have a website, you’re at a serious disadvantage when competing for customers. By creating a website, you can level the playing field and give yourself a better chance of attracting new customers and growing your business.
Websites Allow You to Really Go Up Against Bigger Brands
Customers today have more choice than ever before, and they’re often willing to buy from smaller, lesser-known businesses if they offer a better experience.
One of the best ways to provide an exceptional customer experience is to have a high-quality website that’s easy to use and provides all the information customers need to make a purchasing decision. If you can achieve this, you’ll be well on your way to getting ahead of your bigger competitors.
Another way to stand out from the competition is to focus on local SEO. By optimizing your website for local search, you can make it easier for customers in your area to find you when they’re searching online for the products or services you offer.
If One Thing is Growing Continuously, It’s Online Sales
The pandemic has accelerated the growth of ecommerce, and this trend is only going to continue in the years to come. In fact, according to a report, global ecommerce sales are expected to top $5 trillion in 2022.
This presents a big opportunity for small businesses that are able to sell their products or services online. If you can get your website set up now and start selling online, you’ll be in a much better position to take advantage of this growing trend.
Obviously, some industries are better than others. If you own a local brick-and-mortar store, for example, you might not be able to take advantage of this trend to the same extent as a business that sells products or services online.
An e-commerce store is the perfect example. By setting up an online store, you can reach a much larger audience than you ever could with a brick-and-mortar store. You’ll also be able to sell to customers 24/7, which isn’t possible with a physical store.
You Have a Digital Storefront That’s Available 24/7 to All Potential Customers
With a website, you have a digital storefront that’s available 24/7 to all potential customers. They can visit your site any time of day or night to learn about your products or services and make a purchase.
This is a big advantage over brick-and-mortar stores, which are only open during certain hours. Customers can also be located anywhere in the world, which gives you the opportunity to reach a much larger audience than you ever could with a physical store.
Also, your website works for you 24/7, promoting your products or services even when you’re not actively working. Whereas a brick-and-mortar store only generates sales when it’s open, a website can generate sales around the clock.
Costs are Much Lower for a Website Than a Physical Store
Another big advantage of having a website is that the cost of setting up and maintaining a website is much lower than the cost of renting or buying a physical store.
Of course, there are some costs associated with setting up a website, such as buying a domain name and hosting your site. But these costs are relatively minor.
In comparison, the cost of renting or buying a physical store can be quite high. You also have to pay for things like utilities, insurance, and other ongoing expenses. And if you’re not located in a busy area, you might have difficulty generating enough foot traffic to make your store profitable.
No Code and Low Code Website Builders Can Help You
Although web development can seem like a daunting field to start off in, there are alternatives to coding that can be just as good (if not better) for a person who is just starting out and doesn’t know how to code.
If you are not all that familiar with code, and it would be a steep learning curve, there are easier options (and less expensive options) available. Well, “less expensive ” meaning it’s not as expensive as paying a web developer to code your site for you.
For example, duda.co has a professional-level website builder that can help you create your own site. Also, there are others including Wix.
Another option available includes WordPress, which, when done correctly, can be used with little involvement with the actual code under the hood.
Customers Expect Local Businesses to Have Websites
Customers today expect local businesses to have websites. If you don’t have a website, potential customers may question your legitimacy and choose to do business with one of your competitors that does have a site.
In addition, having a website makes it easier for customers to find your contact information, business hours, and location. They can also use your website to learn more about your products or services and make a purchase.
If you don’t have a website, you’re missing out on a lot of potential customers and sales.
Contrary to Popular Propaganda, SEO (or Websites) Are Not Dead
Local businesses will need websites more than ever in 2022. The pandemic has accelerated the growth of e-commerce, and this trend is only going to continue in the years to come.
If you haven’t already, it’s time to take advantage of this growing trend and take your business to the next level.
Are you ready to set up your website yet?
