It’s true what they say – you only get one chance at a first impression, both on and offline. That’s why in this day and age, it’s crucial to have a well-designed website that will impress as soon as the page loads.
Think of it this way; would you buy straight off a business card? Probably not. But what you probably would do is go to the website later on.
It’s a sad fact that less than 50% of Australian businesses have an online presence. Of that number, 75% can’t actually be found online through searching. Considering 68% of online experiences start with someone looking on a search engine, that’s a lot of missed opportunities.
These businesses are missing out on a huge chunk of business simply because they have no presence where people are looking. And what do customers do if they can’t find your website? The same things as they would if your bricks-and-mortar store is closed – go to your competitors.
So, with this in mind, the idea of “build it and they will come” is a myth. Just because you have a website doesn’t mean anyone can find it (but that’s another conversation on another topic).
8 Reasons Why a Website is Important for Every Business
1. 24/7 accessibility
A website is online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (well, a good one is anyway). It’s available to potential customers even when you, your team and even a physical shopfront can’t be. When a pipe bursts in the middle of the night or someone starts Googling divorce lawyers on Christmas night (a peak time for these searches), your website is there to be found. And if you don’t have a website, you’re missing out on this visibility, missing out on business and missing out on new revenue.
2. Global reach
Business without borders. Websites allow you to be found by people all over the world, or most importantly, wherever your customers are.
For instance, we have a client who offers training courses for international students. We’re able to optimise the website for visibility for people searching for this wherever they are in the world. And you can do it too with the right website and marketing. But the point is, you need a website to do it.
3. Credibility
The fact you can be found online gives you credibility that you exist! But a website does much more than that. Your website should prove to people why you’re the one they should choose. It should be laden with quality information, tell them who you are, list any awards and accreditations, have reviews and testimonials, showcase case studies — the list goes on.
When someone visits your website, you have just seconds to make a good impression. Everything from the way your website looks to how easy it is to use sets the tone of what it will be like to buy from you or work with you. This is why it’s not only essential to have a website, but invest in ensuring it’s a good website too.
4. Sell online
eCommerce stores allow you to sell products online and increase your revenue 24/7. They’re not just for clothing and homewares either. Any business can sell products online to increase their revenue very easily.
Let’s say you’re a plumber. You could sell bathroom and kitchen fittings, home plumbing maintenance kits — you name it. Hairdressers, you could sell products online with free local delivery. You’re a service provider? Sell templates or courses! There really are no limits to what you can sell online to level up your business.
5. Data and analytics
Within data and analytics, your marketing is guesswork. Your website should be hooked up to data collection and analytics software to show you exactly where your website is visible, who is visiting it, what they’re doing on your site and who is converting. With this data, you can further optimise your website for results, and apply it to your marketing from day one to give you the best return on investment. It’s powerful stuff.
The data you collect from your website can even help you expand your business too. You may not realise a certain demographic is looking for your product or service, or that one service has a higher search volume (people looking online for it) than another. This information can help you know where to direct your business and marketing for even further growth again. And all thanks to having a website.
6. Customer support
It can be frustrating to get the same questions or explain the same thing to customers or clients over and over (and over) again. But this is where a website can and should help you.
Your website can help you with customer support in a number of ways, including:
- Answering questions, especially through an FAQ page.
- Qualifying leads to save time on enquiries.
- Providing instructions or information customers can find and you can link them to.
- Contacting you outside of hours.
A well-built website made for user-experience will help you and your team cut time on many admin tasks.
7. Cost-effective marketing
Without a website, you have nowhere to direct customers, will have very minimal (if any) presence on search engines and will end up spending more on other marketing strategies. Let’s start with ads. Your ads ideally need a landing page to direct people to, giving them more information, social proof of the quality of your work, and contact methods. An optimised landing page increases conversions and also increases your return on investment.
Now, we know you need a website to do search engine optimisation, but a website also gives you endless opportunities to be found online with the right strategies too. Blogs, pages, online stores, case studies, downloadables, the options are endless. It also gives you social media content, can help with email funnels and more. So, yes, a website is essential for good marketing too.
8. Because everyone else has one
If your competitor has a website and you don’t, they’re taking business from you without even trying. Someone Googles what you do, they see your competitor and not you, they go to their website and buy or submit an enquiry. It’s as simple as that.
Having a website isn’t a want these days; it’s a need. And, unfortunately, it’s not enough to just have any website anymore. For a website to help your business, particularly in a highly competitive market or industry, it needs to be optimised for search engines and users to deliver you the best results. This is why it is so important to get a website that works for your business so it’s an investment into your future and growth.
How to Get a Website That Works For Your Business
The way your website looks isn’t about you. Sorry, but it’s true! Yes, your branding needs to be integrated and strong, but if your website is not designed and developed with the user in mind, it’s not going to work at growing your business.
We often sit down with business owners to ask if they have any examples of websites they like, what their brand colours and kit are, etc. Most of the time, we’ll hear, “This is what I like,” and that’s fine. But is it what your customer likes? To put it differently, the key decision is, do you want a pretty website or do you want a site that brings you leads and sales?
Here at Digital Surfer, we prioritise building websites that work. We focus on user-experience and search engine optimisation and what will help funnel more revenue into your business. As your partner in digital marketing, we’ll take the guesswork out of what works in a website and what doesn’t, so you can just sit back and enjoy. We’d love to have a chat about how to make a great first impression with your website. Contact us today to see how you can level up your business.
