7 Reasons Why Every Business Needs a Website

why businesses need a website

There are things in your business that are non-negotiables — things like filing your taxes, naming your brand and offers, having something to sell, and… having a website

Of course, there are plenty of ways to get your name out there and drive revenue. Referrals, email marketing, and social media make it easier than ever to attract and convert buyers or clients. So… with all those tools at your disposal, do you really need a website?

The short answer? Yes. 

7 Reasons Why Every Business Needs a Website

While word of mouth and email can help you convert leads, and social media can help you form an online presence, they can’t do everything. Plus, as your business (hopefully) grows, you’ll want to have internet real estate that is entirely yours and that boosts your brand’s presence.

That’s why, in today’s blog, we’re going to look at why every business needs a website. 

Websites can do what social media can’t

We love social media, but the reality is that it can’t do everything for us. Social media has a completely different focus from a website. Social media, for the most part, is designed to build connections, while a website establishes your digital footprint and your authority. 

On top of that, social media content is relatively short — and short-lived

Social media doesn’t let you share your ideas in-depth 

You want to share your best ideas on social to get more leads and more followers, right? But even when you share important info about your products or services, take people behind the scenes, and show off what makes your brand unique, it can feel restrictive.

On Instagram, you have about 2,200 characters to make a point. The algorithm is constantly changing, so that impacts who sees your posts. And even if you try to share your unique ideas in a series of posts or videos, there’s no telling how people will see that content in their feed. Will it be out of order? Will they only see one part? Who knows.

But with a website, you have endless space to work with. You can make your posts and descriptions as long as you want, and it’s all right there in one place for people to see. 

Social media doesn’t last as long as your website

We’ve been told that anything we put on the internet stays on the internet, but when it comes to your social media reach, there is a pretty short lifecycle for your content. 

According to 2022 stats, the average “lifespan” (how long a post gets engagement) of an Instagram feed post is 48 hours. Reels have a slightly longer lifespan of 2+ weeks. But websites? Websites are forever. 

Websites boost your credibility

The majority of businesses have a website (70% to 80% of small businesses have a website, depending on which source you ask). Because your ideal client or buyer expects businesses to have a website, it can be seen as a red flag when you don’t.

In fact, nearly 84% of consumers think a website makes a business look more credible. Without a website, you run the risk of looking so “new” that you don’t have enough experience or history to really deliver. 

Whether we like it or not, websites aren’t just a marketing tool; they’re a minimum requirement for doing business in this day and age. 

Still not convinced that your ideal customer or client expects you to have a website? Let us put it this way: You know who else has a website? Your competition.

Websites tie a brand together

We all know looks matter (when it comes to branding). But there are so many parts to a brand that go beyond the visuals. A beautifully designed website is something that can tie everything together — from your copy and mission statements to your offer stack — and give potential clients and customers an idea of who they might be working with. 

Plus, it’s the perfect place to tie your brand elements together. From your fonts and logos to the stock photos and graphic templates you use, your website is the place where your brand’s consistency can really shine.

Websites drive leads

What’s more exciting than getting a new lead in your email or Instagram inbox? Not much. But then you’re stuck figuring out their next steps and talking about which offer is right for them. It’s honestly a lot of wasted time — time you don’t have as a busy business owner.

What if you could have a place where people can instantly pop in their name, email address, which offer they’re interested in (because they already know which offer is right for them), and their questions? That’s what a website can do for you.

What if you could have content that tells people exactly what you offer and how they can purchase from you or book your services? Again, that’s what a website can do for you.

You don’t have to hop on discovery calls with people who aren’t your ideal client. You don’t have to spend your time talking about offers to people who aren’t sure what you sell. Your website does it all for you, and you can easily follow up with leads or simply deliver a service/product that people purchase from your website.

Websites increase organic traffic

Search engine optimization (or SEO) is what helps your website rank on Google. If you want your business to show up on the first page of search results, then you need a website! Actually, you won’t rank at all if you don’t have one — which is another way to lose leads or eyes on your offers

While some experts will tell you that social SEO is becoming more and more robust, the truth is: Google and other search engines prioritize websites. People won’t be able to “Google” your Instagram post about your offers. They’ll be looking for a website. 

Websites showcase your offers, products, and portfolio

As we mentioned before, your website can educate people about your offers, so you don’t have to. Do you know what else a website can do? Show people why they want to work with you over someone else. 

With a website, you can create in-depth product descriptions, long-form sales pages, and even portfolios that show someone you can do what they really want and need. Plus, you can explain the logistics of it all — i.e. how your VIP days work, what to expect from shipping times, or how your coaching process works.

You can answer every question someone may have about your offer or service, therefore increasing the odds they work with or buy from you. Best of all? You don’t have to repeat this information again and again. 

Have we convinced you? Are you ready to build a (simple) website?

Most brands without a website don’t have one simply because of unchallenged expectations. It will cost too much. It will take too long. I don’t know which template or design I want. I’m not sure if I need “all those pages” yet. 

But we have good news: Websites are so much easier than they used to be. Gone are the days of coding a website. Easy-to-use platforms now allow you to create a beautiful website from professionally designed templates. Most platforms allow you to edit simple elements like your brand colors and fonts, as well as add your logo or photos.

But we know that sometimes templates can be…well…not so great. Most of them are easy to use, but they don’t always align with your brand or the type of website you want to create. 

You want a website that’s simple yet still eye-catching, and optimized to drive leads or sales.

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