Do Websites make a difference?
Websites make a difference.
Businesses need a website to help grow, be successful, and prevent losing customers. A website allows online sales, and millions of people continue to shop online after the pandemic. A professional website helps your business move forward and stay current with trends, and as you know, no one likes to be left behind.
Wondering if your local or small business needs a website? The answer is Yes! Local or small businesses need a website to increase revenue, be seen, grow, and reach customers. Statistics show how beneficial a website can be to these businesses. Of all Google searches, 46% are local content, and 97% of users search for a local business. “Near Me” searches grew by 136% last year, and continue to grow, while almost 25% of clicks go to the first local business result.
Branch Marketing is dedicated to developing websites for businesses, big or small. The team understands the benefits of having a website and works hard for the clients. Branch Marketing works daily on designing individual, personalized websites for each company to achieve goals and dreams. What is the purpose of a website, and what are these benefits? Let’s take a look.
The Purpose of Your Website
Most businesses will believe the reason to have a website is to help the success of the business, or to help make a business profitable. Depending on the business and business owner, there could be a variety of reasons a website is needed. A website is commonly used to express a business’ products, services and information about the company. Business websites are used to inform, instruct, sell, and promote.
There are many reasons, but some of the main reasons to have a website designed for your
company are:
● Money: With the increase of online shopping and purchasing, a website needs to make
customers comfortable with spending money online. A business must go where
customers are, creating a need for websites. A website is also used to save money. For the
amount of money spent on developing and maintaining a business website, you will find
it is relatively cheap and you reap the benefits.
● Create an Online Presence: Because most customers research products, services, and
businesses online, a website just makes sense. After researching, and seeing the website,
the customer tends to make a sale. A website is incredibly important for a small business,
as it gets your company, products, and services out to the world of consumers.
● Sell products and services: when it comes to selling a digital or physical product, a
website can do it all. A website makes shopping easy for the customer, from locating the
object, to reading its description, to payment. As for selling services, websites are used to
create leads, sales, and to bring awareness to the business’s services.
● Blogs: blogs have become very popular. They can be used to simply vent about situations
in life and business, to inform your clients of new products and services. You can blog
about tips, how to do something new, or talk about an experience of a lifetime. Blogs can
be helpful for both the business owner and the customer.
● Build relationships with customers: your customers will want to see what you have to
offer, and over time will connect with you, building an unique relationship cemented in
trust. Websites give them another way of connecting with your company. A website can
be personal, or strictly work, it depends on your tastes.
● Leads: It has become cheaper and easier to make a website than to run ads on TV, the
radio, and in print.
Benefits of Having a Website for your Business
The benefits of having a website are endless, but here are a few to think about:
● You have control: with a website, you are in charge of features, appearances, and more.
You have the freedom to choose different website functions, and designs that suit your
business. You can show off awards, reviews, events, and answers to common customer
questions. There are often SEO limitations on social media platforms like Facebook, and
most people look up businesses, reviews, and other information on Google.
● Credibility, A well-made website instantly gives your business credibility. It also builds
trust, and is easily found on search engines. Websites give you more authority than only
social media posts. Remember, social media should support your business, but your
business shouldn’t rely solely on it. A website increases visibility and lead generation as
well.
● Visibility: A website will make your business visible to the 4.5 million active internet
users. Most of them, about 90%, use mobile devices, so you will want your website
viewable on those devices. Lead generation comes from being visible, and running a
well-maintained website. With the increase of digital shopping, you need your business
to be seen by those internet users, which will be hard if you don’t have a website.
● Establish Professionalism: When you create a website for your business, you are taking a
professional step. Your customers know the website is carefully created by you for your
business and take it seriously. A website can give extensive information, such as days and
hours of operation, announcements, customer service, contact information, and answers
to simple questions.
● Inspires Customer Action: A website encourages action and engagement from customers.
They are less likely to leave your website before looking around, unlike social media
posts where a customer can simply scroll past. Although, social media posts are an
exceptional way to funnel customers to your website.
● A Website makes you Competitive: By making a website and having it properly
managed, you will experience getting quality leads. You will appear in searches and on
search engines.
Keep in Mind Websites let you sell online at any time. Online stores attract new customers who normally may not see your store or ads, and you can sell even when the physical store is closed. Websites generate value for years after you create it. You will get ROI from a business website and you can tweak it as the years go by.
Here is a list to sum up why your business needs a website:
● Branding
● Build and maintain traffic
● Increase leads
● Credibility
● Customer service
● Digital marketing
● Updates, sales, announcements
● Sales
Types of websites
A website is a website right? Well, there are several different types of websites you can design.
They all have special uses and have different outcomes. Let’s take a look at a few of the most
common ones including personal websites.
● Event websites: designed to easily manage a specific event, including everything from
marketing to invitations. The website is created to reach a wide audience, and can be used
as a virtual location.
● Blog websites: designed for written and visual content. These websites are often used for
travel, food, and lifestyle topics, with links included. Blog websites started as a way to
share ideas.
● Portfolio websites: this website is used by professionals in the Creative sector. Writers,
artists, graphic designers and others, use this type of website to display their work, show
off their skills, highlight their accomplishments, and describe who they are.
● Business websites: these websites are varied in shape and design, but include everything
from small, local businesses, to startup, consulting, and major companies. The websites
establish the online presence of the businesses.
● Ecommerce websites: These websites are actual online stores. They are designed to sell
products and services, and often have category pages, multiple menus, business
information, and a secure checkout.
● Personal websites: Personal websites are similar to portfolio sites, but often with less
visuals. A personal site is made to boost the online presence of the website owner,
showing off the person’s skills, interests, hobbies and accomplishments. It includes
contact information in case someone wants to communicate with the website owner.
When thinking about getting your business a website, it would be a good idea to speak with a media company who is experienced with these things. Your business website deserves the right style and design to get you the results you want.
Branch Marketing is an award winning marketing agency who has an expert team that takes
website development and management seriously. Whether your business is big or small, Branch Marketing is here to help. Let us guide you to a successful website today.