Perhaps you have a Google Business Profile, a Facebook Business Page, and regularly tweet, pin, and post updates across other social media platforms. With that much online exposure, you may wonder, do I need a website for my small business?
Yes, a thousand times, yes! While social media and public directories are excellent tools, a personalized URL is still a major must-have, whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or leading a sizable company.
But if you’re still debating whether carving out a customized corner of cyberspace is worth the investment, we’ve rounded up a few extra nudges of incentive showing the importance of a website for small business success.
Why You Need a Small Business Website
Consumers want to feel good about every purchase, especially during economic instability. They’re more likely to shop around, vetting all their options for quality and value. A well-crafted website speaks volumes during this process. Not only does a polished web presence show that you’re an established company, but even a small virtual site helps potential customers view your business as legitimate and trustworthy.
Besides a professional appearance, you’ll also have far more control over the content displayed on your website compared to social media. This allows you to show your audience who you are, what you offer, and why you’re the obvious choice. And you can do this all on your own terms. A business website also opens important communication channels, forging better customer relationships.
Surprising Small Business Website Statistics
Still unsure why you need a small business website or online store? We’ve gathered a pile of incredible statistics that show just how powerful websites are for small businesses, along with some helpful tips to improve your own.
1. No Website is a Confidence-Killer for Customers
Have you ever come up empty after searching for a business website? There’s that awkward moment of questioning why they didn’t bother to create one, and whether you’re better off looking for what you need elsewhere.
Having an online business website shows that you’re serious about what you do. Neglecting this essential piece of professionalism can harm your brand image. Over 1 in 4 small businesses doesn’t have a website, according to findings from Top Design Firms. That’s a high percentage of business owners letting potential customers walk away empty-handed.
What Should You Do?
If you don’t have a website, it’s time to team up with modern expectations. Having an online presence is no longer optional to stay competitive. Register a domain that matches your business and find a reliable web host and website builder to get your site up and running without delay.
2. Keep Your Customers from Bouncing Away
Now that you’ve got em, you want to keep em, right? Unfortunately, if your website loads like an image on dial-up, your viewers might bounce out of there before getting what they need. Your competitors know this, and they’re setting up camp right next door to capture those easy sales.
Unbounce conducted an extensive page speed survey and their results reinforced the importance of loading online assets in the blink of an eye. Nearly 70% of consumers reported that the speed of a website affects their eagerness to buy from an online retailer.
What Should You Do?
Optimize every aspect of your website for speed—without losing its crisp clarity. You’ll want to ensure your web developer’s code is tidy, with well-designed pages that aren’t weighed down with over-sized media components. If your site isn’t the problem, make sure you’re using a reliable web host with the right amount of bandwidth for your business.
3. Prioritize Your Online Image with Consistent Branding
Unless you’ve intentionally themed your website to match a specific historic era, you don’t want users to wonder if they stumbled into a time machine on the way there. Consumers often look for brands that understand current trends and deliver goods and services that match today’s most desirable wishlist items, all wrapped up in an attractive package.
Therefore, having a delightful website matters a great deal. Your brand should be memorable, with a consistent look and messaging, whether online, in print, or in person. A Marq survey found that website conversions rose by 33% when consistent branding was apparent.
What Should You Do?
Crafting the tone expressed by your brand is crucial for local businesses. Consistency, clarity, and cohesion across all media will make your brand memorable. Customers often trust brands they recognize, so choose a style that works across mediums and apply it to your website too.
