5 reasons your small business needs a website in 2024
Posted on 23rd Mar 2023
Author: Stuart B
Read time: 3 minutes
The internet is the go-to source for people seeking answers, products, and services. In fact, Google processes more than 3.8 billion searches per day.
With a figure like this, your business cannot afford to remain in the backseat of the digital bandwagon. A lack of a credible online presence can affect brand recognition even if your business is doing well.
However, small-scale entrepreneurs sometimes hesitate to go online because they aren’t tech-savvy. Some believe they won’t be able to manage a virtual platform and are also concerned about the prices involved.
In this article, we will list the top reasons every small business needs a website to help you make a better decision.
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1. It Helps to Build Credibility
One of the primary reasons you should invest in a website is to enhance your market reputation. You may have plenty of competition in the field. A website will allow you to clarify how your business stands out. A well-designed website with vivid photos will communicate quality information to potential customers.
84% of US consumers believe that a brand with a website is more trustworthy than one with a social media presence only. The absence of a website may force people to doubt your legitimacy. In contrast, a website will allow you to create an excellent first impression and give people the comfort that you are serious about your venture.
2. You can Showcase Your Brand
Your business website will help you to reflect your business identity. You can use it to promote your brand while highlighting its positive approach toward people and the environment.
All elements of a website, like its colour, images, and blog content, should revolve around the same motive. Take the example of Facebook in this regard. Its logo is blue and white, so the website features the same tones throughout the design.
Knowing the target segments is key to understanding how to design your website. Reebok is another incredible example of how you can showcase your brand through a website. It has an awesome UX with messages and images conveying two things:
- They are a trendy company.
- They want their customers to become trendy.
Their potential customers are people who want to feel good about themselves. And they try to do this by wearing fashionable sneakers that also help them to lead an athletic lifestyle.
3. It Helps Your Business to Gain a Competitive Advantage
Even as a small business, you can put up an intense fight against the big bulls in the market if you design your website well. You can outrank the rivals and gain quality leads organically from search engines.
A report published in Verisign shows that 93% of US customers use the internet to search for their desired product. Google and other search engines make it easier for customers to conduct a thorough background check on the companies.
A website will help small businesses highlight their best features. For instance, Baker, the leading CRM for the cannabis industry, shares personal testimonials from existing customers on its website. This helps customers understand that Baker is an authority in the cannabis industry whom they can trust.
Without a website, you risk losing your customers to businesses already making the most of their online presence. If your direct competition is a company with a pre-existing website, they have an advantage over you. A website will help you to stand at the same level on the playing field.
4. You Can Improve Your Customer Service.
The success of an ongoing business heavily relies on how customers perceive it. It can tarnish your reputation if you have successfully gained popularity in the market but fail to provide decent customer service.
A website will enable small businesses to improve their ability to serve customers. For example, you can update the business information on the website to keep customers in the loop. Additionally, a 24/7 chatbot can enable them to express their concerns and receive answers to their queries anytime.
5. It Improves Brand Visibility through SEO
Utilizing Search engine optimization (SEO) and following the latest marketing trends can help a business website to appear higher in the search ranks. The higher a website ranks, the more people will click on it, gaining more traffic.
When your brand succeeds in attracting more eyeballs, a higher number of people are likely to do business with you. Ensure you submit your sitemap to Bing Webmaster and Google Search Console to help get your site listed in the search engine faster. Re-submission of the sitemap is recommended when you make a significant update to your website.
There are various ways to improve the SEO of a website. One such step is using high-quality images to scale the aesthetics and convey your message. While it's best to use original images, not everyone has the time or budget. Fortunately, you can access readily available images online at affordable prices to fulfill your visual requirements.
Other essential ingredients to improve the success probability of website SEO are
- Meta descriptions
- Image alt tags
- Page titles
- Authoritative backlinks
- Fresh content
- Authoritative content
- Google My Business (GMB) page
Improving search engine optimization is vital for small-scale companies. Small businesses have a limited physical approach. So, a well-crafted SEO plan will increase their appearance on local searches.
The Bottom Line
Regardless of size, every business should devise a digital plan to help achieve its objectives.
If part of your business goals is to achieve greater visibility, lead generation, social proof, and authority, creating a website is the first step in the journey. Also, keep in mind that it will require constant effort. You can’t just create a website and leave it out there. Instead, you should update your website regularly and consider continuous improvements.
At 32 Digital, we offer top-quality web design services to help you create a powerful online presence and attract more clients. Contact us today to learn more!