Do You Need a Website?
“I don’t need a website, I sell on Instagram.”
I recently heard a sales coach talking about how you don’t need a website to have a business or to make money in your business 🤔 And I thought hmmm is she right?
Social Media is an incredibly powerful tool for marketing and sales in business, so in part she’s right. Buuuuuuuuut if you have a business and don’t have a modern, responsive website as a business owner you’re missing out and you’re leaving $$$$ on the table. If you have a business, you need a website!
1. A WEBSITE ESTABLISHES YOU AS AN AUTHORITY AND INCREASES YOUR CREDIBILITY - I recently had a client and when I asked her why she reached out for web design services she said, “I want our business to be taken seriously. I want our collaborators and our clients to see us as professional and trustworthy, to know they’re in good hands with us.” And she is so right, because 75% of website users admit to making judgements about a business’s credibility based on their web design. And without a website at all people question the legitimacy of your business.
So when I think about businesses out there without a website I think well, can you make some money in your business without a website? Yes.
What about with a crappy website, or an old website, or a slow loading website, or a confusing website, or an outdated website? Sure.
But with a website you can grow your business, increase your sales, enhance your message, attract more people (which also increases your sales and grows your business). Because an effective website is where you want your ideal clients to end up. It’s where you can guide your site visitors and inspire them to take action.
2. A WEBSITE HELPS YOU GET FOUND - Hello SEO. One of the top priorities of any website and website design strategy should include SEO. You want to have an online footprint and to show up in the results of those searching for the type of service or products you provide. For example if I’m searching for a virtual assistant and search, “how to find a good VA” or “what should I look for when hiring a VA”… and you are a VA looking for clients, these are the searches you want your business to show up in.
3. A WEBSITE BELONGS TO YOU (SOCIAL MEDIA DOESN’T) - One of the biggest challenges of social media platforms is they don’t belong to you. If they shut down, if they remove your content, if they lose your posts, if your account gets hacked, how you show up to your ideal clients (ahem the dreaded algorithms) are all out of your control. Or what about if your ideal clients leave that particular platform, or that platform has a major shift (ummm Twitter to X), or people take social media breaks or break-ups. Plus not everyone (although it may feel like it) is on social media or if they are, they may not want to be “sold” to while scrolling though dancing reels. Ultimately, you don’t have any say in the changes different social media platforms choose to implement but, with your website you have complete control over your websites’ appearance and features.
4. A WEBSITE ATTRACTS YOUR DREAM CLIENT - BUILDS TRUST, CONNECTION AND RELATABILITY. - One of my biggest pet peeves (maybe it’s one of yours too) is when I’m googling for a certain business, maybe a nail salon or a restaurant or a yoga studio and when the search results pulls up a business and I click for their website, but there isn’t one or worse it sends me to a FB page 😳😣. Some people will buy from you directly from IG or other social media platforms, but some won’t. Some want to see more about who you are, what you do and why. They want to see if they vibe with you and your business. And some people will never know you on social media, some people will only ever find you through a google search or word of mouth and without a website or with a poorly designed website most people will move on quickly. The average user will take half a second to make up their mind if they connect and relate to your business.
5. A WEBSITE CAN HELP YOU STAND OUT IN AN OCEAN OF BUSINESSES. - Think about your business, chances are there are already a lot of other businesses selling the same product or service. So how do you stand out, how do you show people why they should work with you, use your product, what makes your business different, amazing, unique. Web design makes your brand memorable and attracts more clients. 94% of a website user's first impression is design related. A positive first impression leads to ongoing higher user satisfaction. And the opposite applies too, poor design drives people away from your business. 79% of people who don’t like what they find on your site will go back and search for another site.
6. WITHOUT A WEBSITE YOU’RE LEAVING $$$$ ON THE TABLE - I don’t think there is any business owner out there that wants to turn down their dream client/customer. Your business could be the greatest, coolest, most badass business out there. You could be the cat’s pajamas as they say, but if you don’t have a website that shows that off, that attracts and connects new clients/customers you’re leaving real money on the table. Websites should be designed to grow your business and make you money, research shows that 73% of people trust the information on a business’ website over other sources including social media. With a website you establish your credibility, build trust and show you’re a legit professional business which also means you can charge accordingly for your services/products.
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