Remember when you used to find blog posts that started with the immortal line ‘has your business got a website?’.
Those were the days, weren’t they? When you could ponder over the benefits of having a website for your business and, sometimes, come to the legitimate conclusion that it wasn’t worthwhile.
Now, you need a website. Plain and simple, and no matter what industry you operate within or the types of products you sell.
Sometimes, though, we all need a few reminders why websites are so important. Here’s fifteen:
1. Because there’s no reason not to have one
Try this little test…
Sit down with a pen and paper, and draw two columns; one ‘for’, one ‘against’. Note against each the reasons you need or don’t need a website.
There’s nothing in the ‘against’ column, is there?
2. It’s the best place to showcase your wares
Sure, product brochures look nice when turned over in the hand, but there’s no better place to showcase what you have to sell than on a rich, dynamic and interactive website.
3. Your customers want need it
If you think you work in an industry where people don’t expect to browse a website related to your business, think again.
One of the first things people will do upon hearing about your company is look for the website. If it ain’t there, they’ll go elsewhere.
4. It’s a brilliant resource for your staff
Business websites aren’t just for customers and partners – they’re brilliant resources for staff, too.
Think about it: you have all of your company, product and customer support information under one roof. What better place to search if you’re an employee who needs to find something quickly?
5. You’ll appear on Google!
An easy concept to grasp, this one, but you’ll need help.
Get yourself a business website, and you’ll appear on Google… providing you invest in the best search engine optimisation (SEO) services you can find.
6. Your business will never shut
Websites don’t take mid-morning cigarette breaks, nor do they complain relentlessly about holiday entitlement.
And they certainly don’t sleep at night.
That means your business is open. Always.
7. It’s a great way to look better than the competition
Ok, so your biggest competitor has the nicest offices you’ve ever seen and the MD drives a Bentley, but your website looks so, so much better.
And what do you think matters to potential customers?
8. You control how the business presents itself
Websites are fabulous marketing tools, because you can control exactly how your business appears and speaks to the outside world.
You can change it whenever you need to (see number 13), too, which gives you ultimate control over your business’s personality.
9. You’ll connect with new customers more easily
New customers could once only be found via expensive marketing campaigns, adverts, trade shows and cold calling.
None of that is any fun. At all. Websites, on the other hand – when properly SEO’d – enable you to connect with more new customers far more easily (and cost effectively).
10. It’s great for existing customers
Just as your business website is a great resource and tool for employees, it’s also fabulous for existing customers.
It’ll enable you to build loyalty and trust with them by providing a portal through which they can access additional content and support. That’s invaluable.
11. Websites build credibility
Just having a website makes you a more credible business, but the more time you invest in the content it contains, the better job it’ll do of proving to the world why you should be trusted.
Credibility sells more products – trust us.
12. You’ll have the perfect fuel for your content marketing
Content marketing is a tactic every business should employ. It enables you to draw in a highly engaged audience and feed them with content that keeps them coming back for more.
Your website will (or should) include a blog section, and that’s the perfect place to publish material that can be shared with your target market via email and social media.
13. You can change it whenever the need arises
If something big happens in your company (a significant new hire or product launch, for example), or if you need to pivot to embrace a new industry trend, you can change your website to reflect your new direction.
14. It beats a brochure, hands down
Printed brochures still have their place, but they can be rather expensive and a bit cumbersome.
A website? It’s entirely the opposite. Cost effective and accessible on devices big and small, it remains the most sensible way to promote your business.
And you don’t have to carry it around!
15. It’s something you can be proud of
Finally, a website is something you should be proud of. For most people that come into contact with your business, it’ll be the first thing they discover.
That first impression you make should last, and if you have a website you’re proud of, that’ll always be the case.
Wrapping up
If you had even a lingering doubt in your mind that a business website might not be for you, we hope we’ve well and truly squashed it!
Starting a new business? Need to chuck out your manky old website and replace it with something fresh and relevant? Our team is waiting for your call!