Do You Need A Website?
Just as electricity and running water are considered utilities, the internet has assumed a very similar role of importance in the modern world. It is a source of organization, it's how we navigate to somewhere new, and even our livelihoods can be conducted online. Whether or not your business is completely virtual or not, it's important to know why a website is crucial in your hunt for success.
Where Are The People?
You normally find food trucks in the city because they wouldn't sell very many tacos on a dirt road in the woods. In order to engage in business, you need to be where the people are. According to Fit Small Business, 96% of potential clients learn about a business online. This means your opportunities for being noticed come almost exclusively through the internet. They also claim that 62% of customers will ignore a business without a web presence. Imagine pitching your business to a room of 10 people and watching 6 people walk out as soon as your presentation begins… ouch! This would be tough for any business owner to endure, but especially to new entrepreneurs who depend on those early leads for building their foundation.
Should You Invest?
New businesses are often running on a budget, and a tight one at that. Along with the obvious expenses such as supplies and subscriptions, a functioning website now belongs in the same category of importance. Graffiti9 states that approximately 73% of small businesses have a website(graff). They also point out that Google searches for ‘small business website’ showed an increase of 30% [from 2020 to 2023](graff). This demonstrates that small business websites are now commonplace, not a luxury to be awaited. Not only are a vast majority of small businesses putting themselves on the web, but it's now evident that having a website is becoming even more relevant than ever. Forgoing the opportunity to construct a place for your business to reside online puts you on the bottom of the pile, likely to be disregarded.
Is Your Business Too Small?
Everyone starts somewhere. Regardless of where you start, you are never too small or too local to take yourself seriously. You may already have a business page on Facebook or a portfolio on Instagram. It's an excellent, low-cost solution to advertising your budding enterprise. It's a great first step, but research shows that building a website is worth the investment. LinkedIn shows that 84% of consumers believe that having a website makes a business more credible than just a social media page.(link) Simply having a website says something important to people who are interested in your services: you are a legitimate business, and because of that, you can be trusted. It's a display of professionalism that the public is clearly drawn to because it separates the hobbyists from those who are going the extra mile.
Whatever your business may be, giving it an avenue for exposure is the key to helping it grow. With the credibility earned from having a website, you are not only telling your future clients that you exist, but more importantly that you are an excellent candidate for their patronage. Let us help you get there!