Do I really need a website for my business?

What if I have a large social media presence with a ton of followers? Will a website really make a difference for my small business?

100% YES! And here are 9 reasons why. 

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure for more details.

Why your business needs a website:

1.  Helps you stand out from the hobbyists.  

A website sets you apart from those dabbling online.  It makes a statement that you take your business seriously. Those who haven’t made the commitment to go all in try to make a business work by posting and selling on social media alone. 

You may get some sales this way if you have a funnel in place or if you are just lucky, but you can increase your sales dramatically with a website. And why is this?

2. Because a strategic website gives you credibility.

First of all, people may learn about you on social media, but they are going to be checking out your website to learn more about you. A website is like your digital business card. It lets your audience know who you are and it helps establish your expertise and credibility.

People are much more likely to do business with someone they trust. The first place that potential customers go to check out testimonials and how you can help them is your website.

3. It showcases your work and expertise.

The third reason why your business needs a website is to showcase your work and expertise. No matter what type of product or service you offer, a website is a great place to showcase your work.

Your website can do the talking for you by displaying an image gallery of your products or a portfolio of your work. It can house videos (^ I embed all my YT videos within my blog posts ^) and a website can also display testimonials to further communicate your skills and why you are the right person to help your ideal client.

4. You Own It!

This is SO important to understand!

You do not own any of the social media platforms. 

This means if Facebook or Instagram decides to shut down your account one day, you lose all of your followers. All your years of hard work building a following and brand are gone!

This doesn’t mean that social media shouldn’t be part of your online strategy, but it definitely should not be your ONLY strategy.  You do not want to put all of your eggs into one basket. 

Your website is your own piece of the Internet that you own and can control the narrative on. You are not at the mercy of constant algorithm changes on social media. This is so important in today’s constantly changing social media landscape.

5. Expand Your Reach.

A website helps you expand your reach. When you optimize your website and content on your site for search engines, also known as SEO, you can show up in google and other search engine searches.

The more optimized your site, the more visible your business will become.  It’s a really, cost-effective way to expand your reach and grow your business substantially.  

6. Build Your Email List.

A website helps build your email list! An email list allows you to build a connection with your audience that you control and a website is a powerful way to turn visitors into leads.

With algorithm changes occurring frequently on social media sites, less and less of your audience is seeing your messages.

As things more to a “pay to play” model with promoted ads, you cannot be sure of how many of your followers are actually seeing your posts.

An email list is still the best way to reach your audience. People typically check their email every day so if you have an important message that you want to ensure your audience receives, email is still your best bet. 

When a potential customer visits your website you can offer them a free “quick win” in exchange for their email address. This offer is often referred to as an opt-in, freebie, freemium, or lead magnet.

If you have a blog on your site then every single blog post or piece of content should have a call to action to sign up for your freebie as well.

This freebie could be in the form of a cheat sheet, course, tutorial, ebook, free clarity call, or anything else that is relevant to a pain point your audience has and is related to the products and services you ultimately have to offer them in the future. 

7. Improves Customer Service

Your website is available even when you aren’t.   It’s accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer frequently asked questions and to promote your brand on autopilot. 

A strategic website allows visitors to quickly learn who you are, how you can help them, what steps they need to take to work with you, and how to contact you if they want more information.

8. Your competitors have one.

Your competitors have one. Customers with a problem frequently head to the internet as the first step on their problem-solving journey. They do research by reading educational content aka blog posts, videos, and podcasts hosted on their websites. 

If and when they are interested in buying or investing in something to help them solve their problem, they will likely read reviews and testimonials on your site.

In the digital age that we live in, customers expect businesses to have a website and will often consider one without one as less professional and reputable.

If your competitor has a website and you don’t, it’s more likely that they’ll choose them over you.

9. It’s a bang for your buck!

And the last reason why your business needs a website is that it offers an excellent return on investment (ROI).

A website is one of the best investments you can make for your business and it’s very likely you will earn back that investment quite quickly. 

The cost of website design varies, but it is now easier than ever to get an affordable, professionally designed website template that you can DIY with the ability to just plug and play your information and images into it.

Other blog posts and resources on my site that may be helpful to you:

10 Great Googe Font Pairings for Websites

5 Signs that it’s time for a Website Redesign