8 Reasons Why You Need a Website
In 2019, it’s kind of silly to think that you don’t need a website. With the online advertising market growing exponentially year after year, we’ve compiled 8 Reasons Why You Need a Website (!), for your reading pleasure.
Reason #1: 30 Percent of Consumers Won’t Look at a Business That Doesn’t Have a Website
Your website is your greatest marketing asset. The average American spends approximately 23.6 hours online per week and about 5 hours on their mobile devices, per day! That’s a whole lotta time. In the digital era, consumers consider companies that don’t have an online presence as less professional and not to be taken seriously. Your customers expect you to have a website. It’s standard practice at this point so if you’re still contemplating, now’s the time to step into the digital arena.
Reason #2: Companies Just Like Yours Are Being Searched For On The Internet
With so many people doing their shopping and making consumer decisions online, it’s a huge benefit for small businesses to be where your customers are, if you’re not there, your potential customers will just find your competitor and go with them. The reason why so many businesses invest in search optimization (SEO) is that 97% of people go online to find a local business and over 90% of online experiences start with a search engine. There’s over 3.5 billion searches on Google everyday (amazing, right?) and at every moment, there’s someone searching for your services locally. Guess who’s getting that customer…not you.
Reason #3: Most Consumers Use Your Website To Engage With Your Business
LSA’s (Local Search Association) reported (in April 2017) that 63 percent of consumers generally use a company’s website to find and interact with a business. That’s a pretty big number. Add that to the fact that 93 percent of digital experiences start with a search engine and the proof is in the pudding, ya know what we’re saying? Additionally, research has shown that consumers use about three sources before making an online purchasing decision and around 30 percent automatically disqualify a business that doesn’t have a website.
Reason #4: Business Transactions In All Verticals Are Being Persuaded By Website Content
Most companies that don’t have an online presence contend that they don’t need a website because their business vertical isn’t ‘an online thing’. Mostly this is being repeated by business owners in the B2B and manufacturing verticals. Not so. Over 70 percent of B2B consumers say online website content undoubtedly influences buying decisions. Also, 62 percent make a final buying decision based solely on online content. Even in the manufacturing and industrial vertical, over 60 percent of purchases are influenced by online. Additionally, half of B2B consumers also expect a distributors website to be a channel that assists in information and easy resource and over a third expect a website to be the most helpful channel in understanding and connecting to a business.
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Reason #5: 75 Percent of Consumers Have Admitted to Judging a Company’s Credibility Based On The Website Design of The Company
When you don’t have a website design, consumers trust you less. You’re more likely to do business with a company you trust and a website is the first thing many prospective customers review. That’s where they can see customer reviews, credentials and any awards or outstanding achievements the company has attained. If the website is designed poorly it speaks volumes. After all, first impressions are important and you only have about 10 seconds to communicate your product or service effectively. After the first 10 seconds, visitors often leave if they don’t immediately find what they’re looking for.
Reason #6: You Can Provide Basic Answers To Questions Quickly
A majority of website visitors are looking for instant gratification and this means that your website should be able to answer three questions within 3 seconds of landing on your website:
- Who are you?
- What product/service do you offer?
- How do I contact you?
We live in a “NOW” time where consumers want the information they’re looking for yesterday – meaning your website design should answer these questions quickly and without having to scroll through tons of content to find the answers.
Reason #7: Your Website Can Compete With Bigger Brands
If your website is optimized for search, it can help in competing with bigger companies. If you have good website design and you’re appearing in top search positions, you’ll have no problem holding your own on the online field.
Reason #8: People Are Using Social Media Less
In 2018, people spent 50 million fewer hours on Facebook than in 2017. White social media can help you grow your business, don’t bank on using it as your sole online marketing channel. That’s especially true in the future. Remember, you and every other business in America is on social media and it’s getting harder for small and medium sized businesses to connect with users on these platforms.