30% of modern-day consumers won't consider a business without a website. This number is expected to grow even more as technology continues to become an integral part of everyday life. Customers are therefore already saying “no” to your brand or product, even before they look at what you have to offer. Websites then, are not only a great marketing tool for businesses, but actually become imperative in the success of brands today.
Apart from the above conversion factor, there are various other benefits small businesses can also look forward to when creating a website for their brand:
[1] Trustworthiness
With so many scams doing the rounds on Social Media, customers become wary about trusting a brand with only a Social Media presence as it is quick, cheap and easy to create and run such a page. Customers generally feel that more effort and cost go into creating and maintaining a website, which creates the impression of a brand being legitimate and trustworthy.
Having a website for your small business, even if it is a small profile page describing what you do etc., will put your customers at ease when deciding to buy from you.
[2] Showcase your brand
A website is the best place to go into detail on your product, service and company. Here you can properly showcase what your brand is about, what makes your product or service so great, how and why you started the company and any other information that you would like to share with your consumers. You aren’t restricted to a short amount of characters or images, and can be as creative as you want.
[3] Reach more potential customers
When a customer is in need of a new product or service, they generally use a search engine (such as Google) to find a store that can possibly meet their needs. A website is the best way to be in the running in this search. It will allow you to pop up in the results and could potentially mean that a customer clicks-through to your website and chooses to use you as their desired brand.
Where you appear on the results will depend on various factors such as SEO-marketing, Google Ads etc., but ultimately you won’t be in the running if you don’t have a presence online.
[4] Answer questions quickly
When a customer must make a purchasing decision, they require specific information, and they want it now. If they can’t find it quickly and easily, they will swiftly move on to the next company that has the necessary information available.
Information mostly required by customers are:
- Who you are
- Where you are located
- Do you deliver (and what are the costs involved)
- How can they contact you
- What specific products or services you offer
A study done by “LSA” showed that 63% of consumers use a company’s website to find information about and engage with a business. A website is therefore the perfect place to have the above-mentioned information readily available for customers who need it.
[5] Great marketing tool
While Social Media is an affordable and easy way to market your business, running ads on these platforms are becoming increasingly harder with algorithms being changed and laws being updated with regards to consumer privacy. Websites however continue to be a great marketing tool for your business. Here’s why:
Customers are already searching for your product or service
Customers use Google Search when they already have a need for a specific product or service. This means that you will reach the right customers through your website and avoid advertising to customers who aren’t relevant to your product or service.
Better conversions
Because customers are actively searching for your product or service online (and therefore already have a specific need), they are more likely to convert into a sale.
Matching your offering to consumer needs
Businesses can provide a lot more detail about their products or services on a website. By doing so, it is easier for customers to find a product or service that matches their exact needs. As these customers are already searching for an unfulfilled need, it becomes easy for your offering to be matched up with the right consumer and can therefore increase your sales conversions.
Whether you are a small, young business providing a service or a large retailer with years of experience, any business can reap the valuable benefits a website has to offer. Creating even a basic website for your brand will provide you with the building blocks that will create trust amongst your market, teach them more about your brand and offering, match their needs to your offering and ultimately lead to increased sales conversions. Websites are therefore a valuable contributor to the success of any size business and a great marketing tool to invest in.
Want to get started but not sure how? We can help you set up and maintain an affordable website. Get in touch here.
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