Why You Need a Business Website in 2023
In the digital era of 2023, having a strong online presence is crucial for the success of any business. What exactly do I mean by “online presence”? Establishing yourself on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, even Yelp (basically all the things).
But one of the most effective ways to establish this online presence is by having a website.
A business website can have a significant impact on the credibility, visibility, and success of your business. In this article we’ll take a look at the top 10 reasons why every business needs a website in 2023.
1. Having a Website Gives Your Business Credibility
In today's ever changing digital landscape, where pretty much every aspect of our lives is interconnected through the internet, individuals and businesses alike have come to rely heavily on online platforms for their everyday needs.
When it comes to searching for products and services, the ‘World Wide Web’ has become the go-to resource for information, recommendations, and purchasing decisions (hello influencers!).
In light of this paradigm shift, having a website has become an essential cornerstone for any successful business venture.
A website serves as a virtual storefront, a digital hub that displays your offerings, showcases your brand identity, and serves as a powerful tool for engaging with current and prospective customers.
One of the most compelling reasons why a website is crucial in 2023 is that it instills a sense of credibility and legitimacy in the eyes of your target audience.
Without a website, potential customers may have doubts about the authenticity and professionalism of your business, as we’ve all grown accustomed to doing some level of research and “due diligence” online before we buy something.
By having a professional-looking website, you’re able to bridge this gap and build trust with your audience.
A well-designed and visually pleasing website not only captures attention but can also reflect the level of care and attention to detail you apply to your products or services.
It conveys a sense of reliability, competence, and dedication, enhancing your credibility and positioning you as reputable and trustworthy.
2. Your Website Markets Your Business 24/7
Unlike traditional forms of marketing, which are limited by time and space (and in some cases by the owners of those platforms… Facebook and Instagram - I’m looking at you!), a website offers unparalleled advantages for your business.
It works day and night, toiling for you around the clock, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Its accessibility knows no bounds, reaching out to potential customers whenever and wherever they may be.
Internet users have grown from 16 million in 1995 to over 5264 million in 2020. That means it’s more important than ever to get your business a website.
Your website serves as a dynamic marketing tool, continuously and effortlessly promoting your brand, products, and services. Ok, maybe not effortlessly (you will need to put in some work with SEO to make this happen), but it can definitely reach more eyes than you could alone.
With its always accessible nature it endlessly sings the praises of your business to a global audience, blasting past geographical boundaries.
No longer confined by physical limitations, your website empowers you to expand your customer base far beyond your local market.
Basically that’s a long-winded way of saying your website can bring in sales from around the world instead of just your corner of the neighborhood.
But the true power of a well-designed and optimized website lies in its ability to generate leads and drive sales even when you’re not actively engaged in promotional efforts.
It creates opportunities for your business to capture potential customers' interest, guiding them through the sales funnel and ultimately converting them into loyal clients.
This invaluable feature allows you to maximize your business' potential, setting you up for growth even when you’re on vacation.
3. Cost-Effective Marketing
A website is undeniably one of the most powerful and cost-effective marketing tools that businesses, particularly small businesses, can use.
As we’ve discussed, its impact on getting your brand out there and reeling in customers is unmatched, delivering a remarkable ROI (return on investment) that far outweighs other marketing channels like paid ads.
One of the key advantages of having a website is the ability to precisely target specific demographics through carefully crafted content, design, and various features.
Once you know who your ideal customer is, you can tailor your website to cater to the needs and preferences of that target audience.
This personalized approach allows you to quickly forge a stronger connection with potential customers and get a head start on the know-like-trust factor. This will also increase conversions and build long-lasting customer relationships.
In addition to reaching a more targeted audience, a website also enables you to extend your reach to a wider demographic.
Unlike traditional advertising methods like print, television, or radio - where geographical limitations and high costs are common - a website gives you global exposure at a fraction of the cost.
The internet has transformed the way businesses operate, breaking down physical barriers and allowing your products or services to be accessible to people all over the globe.
4. You Can Track Data and Measure Results
A well-designed and informative website offers more than just a digital presence; it serves as a treasure trove of valuable data and insights that have the power to transform your business.
With the aid of cutting-edge tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console, you gain access to a wealth of metrics that can paint a detailed picture of your website's performance.
Did you know you’ve only got 0.05 seconds to make a good first impression with visitors to your website?
That means it’s super important to check your home page bounce rates and see if you’re winning people over or not.
One of the key benefits of using a tool like Google Analytics is the ability to track and measure various data points, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of how people are engaging with your site.
By examining metrics like website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates, you can discover and track patterns and trends that might otherwise go unnoticed.
All this information will give you the power to make informed decisions that will positively impact your business.
Not convinced Google Analytics is for you?
Check out this post on Google Search Console and Google Analytics!
In addition, this data enables you to dive deeper into customer preferences and gain insights into their motivations and desires.
By segmenting your audience and analyzing their behavior on your website, you can discern patterns that show what resonates with different groups of people.
Once you have that knowledge, you can tailor your marketing strategies to better target specific demographics and create content that truly speaks to your customers (there’s that know-like-trust factor again!).
The continuous monitoring and analysis of this data also provides you with the opportunity to refine and optimize your website and marketing campaigns.
By identifying areas to improve and detecting underperforming features or pages, you can fine-tune your website's performance.
Whether it's optimizing the user experience, streamlining the conversion process, or enhancing the overall design, leveraging the insights gained from this data allows you to make calculated changes that ultimately drive better results and growth for your business (translation - more dolla dolla bills y’all!).
5. Allows You to Showcase Your Products and Services
A website serves as a digital showroom where you can display and highlight your products and services.
It allows you to provide all the detailed information, high-quality images, and videos you want!
This helps potential customers get a clear understanding of what you have to offer and boosts their confidence in making a purchase.
Also, you can highlight customer testimonials, reviews, and case studies to further establish trust and credibility.
I personally recommend sprinkling in your good reviews and kind words from past customers all over your website!
A well-designed website can effectively communicate the value and benefits of your products and services to your target audience.
6. You Control Your Content and How It’s Displayed
With a website, you have complete control over your content and how it’s presented to your audience.
Unlike social media platforms or online directories, you’re not limited by third-party regulations or those dreaded, ever-changing algorithms.
You’ll never have to worry about your account suddenly getting suspended, or your content disappearing into thin air.
Your website allows you to create a unique brand identity, customize the user experience, and tailor your messaging to make a beeline toward your business goals.
You can (and should) regularly update and optimize your content to make sure it stays relevant and resonates with your target audience.
This level of control lets you stand out from the crowd and create a consistent brand experience for your customers.
7. Use a Website to Build Relationships with Customers
A website, with its many different functionalities and capabilities, serves as an incredibly powerful instrument for establishing and growing meaningful relationships with your customer base.
Ever heard the saying “people buy from people”? It’s still as true today as it was 50 years ago.
And since meeting every single one of your customers in person isn’t exactly realistic, you need a website and content that helps people get to know you. And more importantly to trust you as an expert.
According to Joel Book, a former spokesman for Salesforce:
“As marketing converges with customer service and sales, marketing today is more about helping and less about hyping.”
Your content should directly address the unique needs, pain points, and desires of your target audience.
Think about what problem you can solve for them and tailor your content around that.
By providing highly relevant and solution-oriented content, you effectively establish yourself as a trusted authority in your industry, boosting your credibility and positioning yourself as the go-to resource for your customers.
Beyond telling your story and establishing yourself as someone who knows what they’re talking about, you also need to follow up with outstanding customer support. Your website can allow you to engage in real-time conversations through live chat, ensuring that you promptly address any queries, concerns, or issues your customers might have.
It’s important to note the customer relationship goes both ways in terms of providing assistance.
A strong customer relationship will allow you to gather feedback, conduct surveys, and collect tons of customer data, and your website is an integral part of this process.
By building a website more for your customers and less for yourself, you can easily build a lasting connection with your target audience.
Crafting a website that offers seamless and intuitive navigation, eye-catching visuals, and engaging, insightful content that truly resonates with your audience, gives you a distinct and compelling online presence that fosters loyalty, trust, and repeat business.
8. Answer FAQs
A website offers the perfect platform to respond to commonly asked questions (FAQs) regarding your business, products, and services.
By offering extensive and relevant details, you can address potential customer concerns and alleviate most uncertainties.
This also saves you time and effort down the line, hopefully cutting out the majority of potential clients who aren’t a great fit for one reason or another and minimizing irrelevant customer inquiries (a discovery call is still important in the service-based world to make sure of this though).
A well curated FAQ section lends itself to fostering that all-important sense of trust, making it easier for people to say yes to buying from you.
9. Help Generate Leads and Sales
A well-designed website is a powerful lead generation machine, capable of driving sales and revenue for your business.
A great way to acquire leads is by strategically incorporating lead capture forms throughout your website.
These forms can be connected to a CRM or act as standalone gateways, inviting visitors to provide their valuable contact information.
By strategically placing these forms in key locations like high-traffic pages or at the end of blog posts, you can maximize their visibility and encourage visitor engagement.
I do recommend making these lead-capture forms as opt-ins, meaning your potential customer is trading their precious contact info (usually an email address) for something in return - a freebie.
Ideally this freebie is related to your general content and solves a problem for your ideal customer.
The freebie can be anything from access to a free training video to a downloadable checklist.
And the more the merrier here, so don’t feel limited. The more quality freebies you can produce the more opportunities you’ll have to connect with potential customers, who will turn into leads, which will turn into sales. Look how helpful your website is!
To further incentivize visitors to provide their contact information, you can offer things like exclusive discounts or access to premium content.
These tasty morsels can pique the interest of potential customers and convince them to hand over their information.
Likewise, the art of a well-crafted CTA (call-to-action) button can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your lead generation efforts.
These buttons serve as visual cues, prompting people to take specific actions, such as signing up for a newsletter, requesting a free consultation, or making a purchase.
By creating persuasive and urgent CTA statements, you can increase visitor response rates and convert them into active leads.
Once you have successfully captured these leads, the real work begins. Now it’s time to nurture them and guide them through your sales funnel by implementing targeted marketing campaigns and personalized communication.
I recommend connecting your lead capture forms to a CRM like Dubsado or Honeybook so you can segment your leads based on which freebie they opted into.
This tells you something about their interests, demographics, and previous interactions so you can tailor your marketing efforts accordingly.
This personalized approach creates a sense of value and builds trust, further increasing the likelihood of converting these leads into paying customers.
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10. Adaptability and Scalability
Whether you run a brick and mortar or purely online business, having a website that can adapt and scale alongside your growing enterprise is not just important, but absolutely essential.
Regardless of whether you’re starting small or planning a rapid expansion with substantial growth, a well-designed website can handle each stage of your business and will support you every step of the way.
A modern website is nimble, allowing you to effortlessly incorporate new pages, third-party functionalities, and even a new design.
Of course the platform you’ve chosen to build your website on is important to consider when planning for future expansion.
Squarespace is my personal favorite, but depending on your business there might be a better choice for you.
Thinking of switching website platforms?
Check out this article on how to decide if Squarespace is right for you
With an adaptable website, you’ve got the flexibility to swiftly respond to emerging opportunities, efficiently address customer needs, and stay relevant within an increasingly competitive market.
Conclusion
In summary, having a website is no longer an option but a necessity for businesses in 2023.
It provides credibility, serves as a powerful marketing tool, offers cost-effective advertising, provides valuable insights, showcases products and services, gives you control over content, helps build customer relationships, addresses FAQs, generates leads and sales, and can adapt to your business needs.
By investing in a well-designed and optimized website, you can enhance your online presence, reach a broader audience, and drive the success of your business in the digital age.