Small businesses can use websites to be more visible and connect with customers. They provide an opportunity for small businesses to market themselves and establish a following, boost sales and create leads.
Here are 10 ways a website could benefit your small business:
1. Website Builds Trust In Businesses With A Local Presence
Since most people do research about businesses they are interested in buying from before spending money with them, building trust with potential customers is very important. A website allows people to research your company's location, services offered and contact information so they can feel more comfortable about doing business with you. A website is also an effective way to attract locals by showing that you are part of the local community and that people already like your products or services enough to recommend them to others on online review sites like Facebook, Yelp, Google+, Local, and Angie's List which consumers use for recommendations on who not to buy from as well as who to buy from based on past experiences of listening to what other buyers have experienced first-hand.
2. Site Is Always On
A website is always on so you can promote your services and products 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You have an opportunity to expand your visibility by using social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to drive traffic from these external sites back to yours. These social media websites are free, but they require time and effort on your part to reach out and connect with people there. Another advantage of having a website instead of just a physical location or storefront is that it gives you the ability list your business information online for search engines including Google Maps which displays your address, phone number and driving directions right from their listings page. People already do research online before buying anything large, so this gives you an edge over the competition.
3. Integrations Can Help To Automate Clerical Tasks
There are various services you can use to integrate with your website. For example, if somebody places an order on your site the information will be automatically recorded in a e-commerce package that can also track inventory levels and sales history for analysis purposes. You can also have your payment processing integrated into the site so customers don't have to manually enter their credit card details when checking out which is more secure because less human intervention occurs when entering this information. When it comes to online bookings, you can have integrated calendars which keep track of availability, booking information, and collect payment deposits.
4. Makes It Easier To Access Content On The Go
With mobile devices like smartphones and tablets becoming more popular with people relying on them for browsing and shopping in recent years, it's a great idea to make your website mobile-friendly so customers can easily access information about your business when they're on the go without having to miss out on sales opportunities since many people will need to buy things while away from home or work where they can't use a desktop computer. This is why you should consider using Wix as your CMS (Content Management System) if you don't already have one.
5. Websites are Low-Cost
A website can be created on your own or outsourced for a low cost compared to other types of advertising, especially in today's online economy when more small businesses are doing business online and competitively priced websites are available. Using a template design can cut costs since most sites use similar designs with different color schemes, images and content added. Social media is also free but it does require time on your part to build connections with people there, particularly if you want targeted customers or clients instead of just having lots of "likes" on Facebook that only make you feel good about yourself without any sales leads or conversions coming from it. A successful social media marketing campaign on sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube is usually measured by increased traffic to your website or store location, conversions (sales or other business transactions) and ultimately an increase in revenue. This takes some time but it's a worthwhile investment that you should seriously consider if you want to grow your small business into something bigger.
6. Websites Can Be Used To Increase Profit
The blog section of your website can be used as a low-cost advertising platform for driving targeted customers back to specific pages on your site where they can buy products or services from you online. You can also use this area to drive traffic from social media sites such as Facebook back to your blog for better engagement and more sales leads. With proper training and education about how to use the blog section of your website effectively, you can increase targeted traffic and revenue. This can be done by creating fresh new content for your blog on a regular basis (daily, weekly or monthly), offering free downloads, e-books or reports that will give visitors an incentive to sign up for your newsletter and stay connected with you online.
7. A Website Builds Trust
A website builds trust because it allows visitors to read about your company mission statement, services offered, location and contact information. These things help improve conversions by building trust with potential customers which helps separate you from the competition who may not have a website or who don't list their business information online for search engines like Google Maps that displays address, phone number and driving directions right on their listings page. You also want people visiting your site to be able to find out more detailed information about you if they become interested in what you offer instead of just getting lost trying to navigate around your site since all sites are different and some are easier to navigate than others.
8. It Can Attract New Customers
Having an online presence is the new way of doing business and it's a great way to attract new customers from your local area, state or country since people already search extensively online for products and services before paying money with their hard-earned cash. Having a website is a very low-cost marketing tool which can be used for months or even years to gain targeted traffic from around the world who have an interest in what you have to offer rather than just driving short term sales leads that may not come back again due to lack of customer support after the sale.
9. Better Customer Retention
A website helps you reduce loose ends with customers by having a contact page with your email address, phone number or even an online chat option if you offer live support on the site which makes it easier for visitors to ask questions rather than just leaving dissatisfied without adding their input. You can also have online forms for people to submit lead generation campaigns like contests and sweepstakes where everyone who enters has a chance of winning something like free products or services if they provide their contact information first before filling out any personal details needed to mail them whatever is being offered as a prize. This will definitely help increase targeted traffic since many people share these types of promotions online through social media sites like Facebook which works great for getting more sales leads because people are more likely to buy from you once they see how many times their friends have liked your company which helps increase trust and credibility.
10. It Can Increase Your Search Engine Rankings
A website is a search engine's dream because it contains all the information they need about a business, especially if you use keywords throughout the text on the site that relate to what you offer as well as your location since search engines like Google Maps display this type of information in categories alongside your listing when someone searches for products or services similar to what you offer with keywords related to your industry. If they can create quality websites that go above and beyond basic text descriptions, most companies with a large clientele may even be bumped up higher into better listings that appear before smaller companies in search results since Google ranks the top businesses that provide the best online user experience for visitors in their local area.
In conclusion, having a website for your small business is great because it provides all the necessary information that customers need to know about you from basic contact details, to what you offer and where you are located which allows them to make a more informed decision before they buy something from you. If they have any questions or concerns, your site will also provide an easy way to resolve them by providing online support through email, phone, live chat or even accessible forms for people who want more immediate assistance with whatever problems they may be having when they compare your prices against other similar companies in the local area. Overall, having a website for your small business is a very low-cost marketing tool that can be used for months or even years to gain targeted traffic from around the world who have an insatiable need for information about what you offer wherever they may be located. That is why small businesses with a website usually outrank companies without one since it provides all the necessary information that customers need to know about you from basic contact details, to what you offer and where you are located which allows them to make a more informed decision before they buy something from you.
Author's bio:
Published by Cody Teagardin for Sunrise Coding, the full-service web design agency that marries smart strategy with elegant design & code to achieve powerful results. If you're looking for a new website, let's chat. We offer free consultations by email, phone, or in person to discuss your unique project needs. Our studio is located within the white mountains of Arizona, but we have clients all over the world! Feel free to drop me a line at cody@sunrisecoding.com if you have any questions.
Copyright © 2021 by Sunrise Coding. All Rights Reserved.