Does My Business Need a Website?
When you want to investigate a brand, where do you typically go? Do you ask your friends and family about them? Look them up in the Golden Pages? Or do you go online to check out their website like everyone else?
Statistics show that 81% of shoppers research a brand online before purchasing from them. Furthermore, 70% of all internet traffic comes through the Google search engine. As a business, it’s important for you to use this knowledge to your advantage.
A website is the first step to building a successful online business. A well-crafted business website helps you identify your target audience and create an engaging user experience. It can also play a lead role in attracting new customers. People spend more time online as time progresses, and a professional business website and web presence is key for small business owners or startups.
Before discussing what constitutes a strong website, let’s explore the top benefits of having your own website.
How Going Digital Skyrocketed Netflix to Success
Netflix’s impressive history demonstrates how going digital can exponentially improve growth. Founded in 1997, the company began as a small door-to-door DVD delivery service. In 1999, when it launched the first iteration of its website, it became the first company to offer online movie rentals, changing the movie rental landscape.
Through a combination of digital focus, creative marketing and customer service, Netflix became one of the world’s most successful companies. It currently offers streaming content to more than 183 million people worldwide.
In 2007 it went completely digital and started streaming content directly from the cloud, further transforming its modus operandi. Its relentless innovation positioned them far ahead of the contemporary competition, allowing them to become a global streaming giant — with its website at the heart of it all.
Netflix’s website quickly became one of the most visited digital destinations and it continues to be incredibly successful. By allowing users to stream content at any time with a multitude of devices, Netflix created an unprecedented level of convenience, supporting its overall success.
While not every business can be the next Netflix, it serves as an example and an important reminder about how nurturing a digital presence can uplift a company to reach new heights.
6 Benefits of Having a Business Website
Traditional businesses might not understand the value of having a website. However, when you really consider how much of modern life takes place online, it’s easier to understand why web presence is necessary.
A website is the modern equivalent of a storefront, it’s the first place customers interface with you. In some sense, your physical storefront is your street presence and whether you like it or not, people judge your business based on the exterior of your shop.
You may think these details are trivial, but everything from the colour scheme to the font styles and image arrangement will make an impression on passers-by.
Did you know that 85% of consumers cite colour as the primary reason for buying a product? Moreover, 90% of impulse buys are based on colour alone. Pretty striking, right?
Likewise, every detail on your website will determine whether visitors become customers. Let’s explore the six top benefits of having a business website.
1. Attract Organic Traffic
According to web statistics, 53% of all website traffic is from organic internet searches. For this reason, making sure you have a strong digital presence is key to attracting organic traffic through Google. Businesses rely on organic website traffic to generate leads and reinforce their brand identity.
A good website enables you to reach potential customers actively seeking products or services like yours. Simply listing an address, phone number, and email address are no longer enough to satisfy today’s consumers. An easy-to-navigate website helps potential customers connect with you and gives you a chance to showcase your value.
Most website platforms like WordPress, SquareSpace, and Wix will have a built-in feature enabling you to view your organic traffic statistics. Don’t have a website yet? Contact us for a free consultation.
2. Showcase Your Expertise
By curating a professional web presence, you create a virtual identity for your business. This helps you reach potential customers and build trust with existing ones. A business website also helps you prove your unique value by providing people with insight into your expertise.
You can use the website to showcase customer testimonials, awards, and certifications. This constitutes social proof of the quality of your brand. You can also highlight any appearances you may have made in industry publications or other media.
About 72% of consumers say that positive reviews and testimonials influence how much they trust a particular brand. Moreover, 88% say they trust online reviews as much as personal advice about a brand.
Additionally, having a blog section with content tailored to your target audience helps you establish yourself as an authority in your industry. From showing off products to presenting best practices, tips and tricks, you can differentiate yourself from competitors. A website gives you an invaluable platform to grow and promote your business.
3. Use Data Analytics
Study results from Finance Online reveal how business data analytics improved efficiency and productivity for 63% of businesses. It also helped 57% of businesses achieve faster, more effective decision-making.
It’s a simple truth, in today’s digital age, using website analytics is crucial for businesses seeking growth. By tracking website visitors, website analytics provide valuable insights into your potential customers. It helps you understand their purchasing preferences and areas of consumer interest. It also allows you to clearly map out your growth and record its trajectory.
By monitoring website traffic before and after a campaign, you can determine which strategies yield the best results. Was it the email marketing or social media posts that led to your recent growth?
Website data also helps you identify problems on your site. From broken links to slow loading times, these issues all need addressing. When you have access to comprehensive web analytics, it’s easy to get a grasp of what’s wrong.
4. Stay Connected to Your Customers
Here’s a staggering statistic you might not know — 83% of consumers say customer support is the most important factor when deciding what business to go with. If you’re selling a product or service, your customers need to know they can get in touch with you if they need assistance.
By creating a website, businesses can create an exclusive space to communicate with customers. They provide a platform for feedback and customer reviews, making it easy for customers to express opinions and offer suggestions.
Websites also help you promote special discounts or new products. By providing relevant information about the brand in an easy-to-consume format, websites encourage customer loyalty. By engaging in this bidirectional relationship between you and your customers, you build rapport, familiarity, and confidence.
A website is a crucial asset for businesses of all sizes. It gives your business an online presence, which can help you reach new customers and grow your business. A website also allows customers to learn more about your company, its products and services, and how to contact you. Plus, a website is a cost-effective way to promote your business 24/7/365. Websites can be customised to reflect the unique personality of your business. And finally, a well-designed website will help improve your search engine ranking, resulting in more traffic to your site. So what are you waiting for? If you’re looking to build a website, get in touch with us at [email protected] today!
5. Credibility and Professionalism
A website is a great way to show legitimacy and professionalism. Good websites cost money to develop and maintain, so this alone can be a sign of credibility. They provide an opportunity to share important information about your business in one place. Potential customers can visit your website to learn your history, mission, and contact information.
By having a polished, attractive website you indicate that you’re serious about your work quality. Websites help businesses establish an online presence and generate sales leads. Good website design incorporates aesthetic elements with content that demonstrates expertise.
A good website helps you promote your services, legitimise yourself in your industry and create a professional image. Including customer, testimonials is a great way of showing potential customers that you’re trustworthy and capable of satisfying customer needs.
6. Attract Local Business
Small business owners can benefit by putting up a basic website with information about hours of operation, services, and pricing. While it’s possible to use an Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook page to display this simple information, a basic website still outperforms these social media channels.
This is because the Google algorithm favours websites in terms of “search engine optimizsation” or SEO. If a basic website can do that, imagine what a highly professional website can do.
5 Qualities of a Good Business Website
By now, maybe you get that websites are important for generating business and showcasing professionalism, but what makes a great website? How do you know if your website is good enough? To help you understand what makes a website good, we’ve put together the top five qualities of a fantastic website.
1. Clarity
A clear and simple website helps you attract new customers and keep their interest. By contrast, a cluttered or complicated website deters potential customers from exploring it and makes them want to leave. To boost customer engagement, website content should be presented in an organised way.
The text should be concise but detailed enough for visitors to gain meaningful insights about what you offer. Make sure images are of high quality and displayed in an eye-catching way to reinforce trust with visitors. With a straightforward website, you ensure that first impressions are not squandered. You also make it more likely that website visitors will return.
2. Easy to Navigate
We can’t overstate the importance of an easy-to-navigate website. Today’s digital customers are more likely to turn to the web when searching for information or a product. A clear and intuitive navigation structure helps users find what they need. This increases the likelihood of them buying or engaging with your content.
Survey data indicates that 90% of internet users will stop using an app if it’s too difficult to navigate. You might think this doesn’t extend to websites, but it does.
Easy navigation minimises frustration and improves user experience. This makes consumers more likely to return to your site in the future. A well-organised website also improves SEO rankings, giving it a greater presence in organic search results.
3. Consistency
When businesses produce consistent content on their website, they create trust and recognition. By sharing information on a regular basis, you can show your target audience you’re reliable.
This isn’t a top secret ingredient, it’s the bare minimum you should be doing — 80% of marketers consider content consistency a top priority.
Consistent content also enhances customer interaction. It allows them to access relevant information and gives them a reason you visit your site often.
By creating relevant content consistently, you develop stronger relationships with existing customers. Google will also reward you for creating content regularly. The more content you produce, the more authoritative your website will become. Google recognises this and it can help you get priority over your competitors.
4. Helpful
One of the keys to achieving a high-quality website is creating helpful content. When consumers are looking for advice on a topic, can they turn to your website for insights? You want to give them a reason to spend more time on your website.
96% of consumers cite customer service as an important factor in brand loyalty — so be sure to always be ready to help.
As well as adding value for readers, creating helpful content also benefits SEO standing. It enhances website rank, improving visibility and increasing traffic. By developing authoritative content that helps readers, you give people a reason to trust you and ultimately buy from you.
5. Engaging
Successful websites engage audiences using sharp visuals, informative content, and interactive features. When designing a website, creating an engaging experience for users is paramount. The interface should be intuitive and pleasing to encourage visitors to stay on the page. Content also plays a major role in determining how engaging a website can be.
Relevant, well-written content providing useful information keeps visitors coming back for more. You can also include features like polls or discussion forums to empower users to provide feedback and discuss topics.
Video content is the most luring and engaging content, so consider making a vlog or tutorials related to your niche. People love getting something for free, and if they feel like you’re willing to readily offer knowledge, they’ll like to have a more positive image of your brand.
Should You Hire a Professional?
Creating a top-notch landing page, navigating a website builder with complicated plugins, and researching keywords can be tough if you’re not tech-savvy. A lot of legwork goes into creating a professional website that lures people in to buy your products or services. For this reason, it may be worth hiring a professional.
Getting a professionally designed website probably isn’t as expensive as you think. And consider how it improves a company’s credibility, attracts potential buyers, and helps you reach a larger audience, you’re certain to get a return on your investment.
If you’re looking for industry-leading digital marketing experts to put together a highly-captivating website, consider reaching out to Digital Nova.
FAQ
Can you have a business without a website?
It’s hard to imagine having a successful business without a website. Customers expect to be able to find businesses online. A well-designed website also helps you build trust with consumers and present yourself as an industry authority. Contact us at Digital Nova for a free consultation about your new website.
Is it worth having a website for a small business?
Even small businesses can benefit from having a website. It helps to level the playing field with competitors and reach a larger audience. A website is also a cost-effective way to advertise, as you can target specific demographics and track campaign results.
For these reasons, it’s definitely creating a website for your small business. You may be surprised at how much of a difference it can make.
Does my business need a website in 2022?
With trends of digitisation of user behaviour in 2022, investing in a website is a strategic move. Considering most of your competitors will have websites, it doesn’t make sense to position yourself at a disadvantage.