22 benefits of a website for small businesses
A well-designed website is one of the most powerful digital marketing tools an entrepreneur can use. Among the myriad reasons small businesses need a website, a good website is essential to increasing your online presence and credibility.
A 2021 survey of more than 1,200 business owners found that 1 in 4 small businesses do not have a website. Many business owners may think that having Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn social media accounts is enough. But without a website, these small businesses don't have a "home base" to link their social media accounts to, which affects their search rankings on Google.
Why do small businesses not have a website?
A study commissioned by Verisign concluded nearly two-thirds of consumers believe a business with a website is more credible than a company without one. Despite this, some small business owners choose not to have a website for various reasons, including:
However, simply having a website could put you a step ahead of your competition. A site is one more way to drive potential customers, revenue, and overall value to your business.
Top ways a website benefits a company
Discover 22 benefits of having your own website for your startup or small business. Use these ideas to make the most of your professional website.
1. Develop a Professional Online Presence
Not just a corner store or a local business down the street, having a website, especially one with an attractive web design, gives the impression that you are serious and ready to do business with all types of customers. After all, a well-crafted website can lead to business success.
2. Become an Information Resource
If your business is in a niche industry, having a website can build your reputation as an authority in your field. Create a blog section with informative articles and link it to your landing page.
Potential customers searching Google for general issues related to your industry are more likely to find you. Also, after reading the articles on your blog, they will know how useful you are to them.
According to a HubSpot survey, 56% of consumers report that blogs have influenced their purchasing decisions. Even if the people reading this blog post don't immediately become customers, you're getting your business name out there without spending a penny on traditional advertising or marketing campaigns.
If possible, describe your service in your blog post and include a call to action (CTA). For example, if you're a plumber, you can mention "cheap plumbing services" several times to increase the chances that someone searching for that phrase will find your site. A CTA can be as simple as a button or link that says "Make an appointment" to attract new customers.
3. Own your Name
Building a website and purchasing a domain name (e.g. www.business-example.com) will help you claim your company name. It is also a quick and easy way to increase brand awareness.
You can also receive a unique business email that adds your branding (eg yourname@business-example.com). Many website hosting providers include custom email addresses as part of their services.
4. SEO Ranking Improvement
When you search on sites like Google, Bing or Yahoo, you will see a list of websites related to your search. You can generate free traffic and sales by applying many SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tactics to your website to improve your ranking on these search engines. Boost your SEO with useful and new content posted in the blog section of your site.
5. Increase the number of Potential Customers on the Internet
Getting visitors to your site is great, but attracting customers is even better. A well-optimized and mobile-friendly website allows potential customers to call, register or purchase your company's products. You can make your website a top seller for your company.
6. Mailing list Development
Once you've created your website, add a form so people can sign up for your mailing list or newsletter. This will give you easy access to your database of potential customers to advertise to. According to a 2020 study, 78% of marketers believe email is important to their company's overall success.
7. Reduce Printing Costs
Paper catalogs and brochures can still be useful at the point of sale, but what happens when product information changes? It's more efficient to include all the information you need on your website, and it's much cheaper to edit and modify. A combination of print and web marketing materials will be the most cost-effective way forward.
8. Reach Online Consumers
According to the 2022 census, about 5 billion people, or about 63% of the world's population, will have access to the Internet.
Since most people have access to the internet, it's also useful to have a default landing page as your business website. For many consumers, if they can't find something online, it doesn't exist to them. Having an online presence means people can connect with you wherever they are. Smartphone included:
According to a 2021 study, 85% of US adults own a smartphone. In 2021, Statistica estimates that Americans will spend more than $360 billion using their mobile devices to purchase goods and services. Most websites these days can automatically adjust for smartphone and desktop screens. If most of your customers seem to always have a smartphone in their hand, it would be nice to be able to contact them directly.
9. Tell your own story
Having a web page on your site dedicated to a section like "Company History" is a way to humanize your business. This is where small businesses can be an advantage.
Do you run a family business started by your mom or dad? Has it been around for decades? Let people know about this and build their trust. Showcasing creativity and authenticity can be an advantage that is difficult for large companies to replicate.
10. Create new sales opportunities with mail order and e-commerce
If your business sells mail order items, consider investing in an ecommerce store or online shopping section of your website. Some companies create this section for you. You can reach a whole new group of customers who don't live near your physical store. Depending on the nature of your business, you may have the entire planet as potential customers.
11. Customer Data Collection
You may have already estimated your brick and mortar store's average traffic. However, small business websites give you an idea of the wider scope of your business through digital insights. If there are other web pages for the products or services you offer, we may use visitor data to find the web pages that interest you the most.
You can also create online surveys or surveys to get ideas about which products and services your customers are most interested in.
12. Provide easy access to Product Information and Customer Service
You can work with your employees and product distributors to provide as much product and service details as you like. Email forms and contact information can help small businesses build a more professional customer service system. Semi-automated chatbots can also be deployed on websites to perform the same essential functions as operators of large companies' 1-800 customer service numbers. As a result, customer support is now available to customers at any time.
13. Creating value for Customers
Employees can spend less time explaining the basics of a product or service to interested customers. If customers are not in your store, you can direct them to your website if they have further questions. Customers who like to "pump up the tires" before buying can preview offers for as long as they like.
14. Set up a virtual showroom for all your products
If you have a business with limited space for a product, your website can provide a solution. You have virtually unlimited space to list all of your products in as much detail as you want, and potential customers can read about your products at any time.
Work with manufacturers and distributors to include high-quality product photo galleries. Also, the virtual showroom can be open 24/7.
15. Increase Brand Awareness
Include your website address on all promotional materials, such as business cards and brochures. Sales may increase. For example, even if the person who picks up the product description isn't planning to buy right away, you may have planted the seed. When consumers are serious about purchasing, they can easily access website content. Your site will be where they start seriously researching your product. When you combine traditional promotional materials with the added value of your website, your business is more likely to stay in your customers' minds.
16. Employee Training Support
If you've taken the time to create a website with detailed information about your products and services, now you have an information resource that your employees can use internally. Direct new employees to a specific web page so they can familiarize themselves with the products you're selling.
17. Get loyal customers who can always be found
Prospects can sometimes lose business cards and brochures. However, bookmarks from the client web browser may remain in the browsing history. This "persistence" can also help with word of mouth recommendations. 18. Attract new employees
Create a careers or jobs section on your business website. Attract potential job seekers without wasting time and money hiring staff or posting ads on job sites.
19. Create a Digital Presence the Easy Way
Unlike the early days of the Internet, you don't need to know computer code or HTML to create an impressive website. A modern web design firm serving small businesses on a tight budget is a "one-stop shop" that can handle all the technical details for you.
Most of them have plenty of customizable templates to choose from to help you create your brand's personality. Building a website is now very easy and affordable.
20. In-store Advertising
It may seem counterintuitive, but having a website can help increase traffic to your store. Basic information like your store location, address, hours of operation, and phone number for your website creates a digital footprint that search engines capture.
The next time someone searches for your store online, they will see search results with information about your store. This is especially important for potential customers with smartphones. On the go, you can find a business, find an address, and quickly enter it into your GPS.
21. Get Referrals Faster
In conversations between former clients and their friends, what is the first thing they will try when your business comes up? They will find business on the internet. Once your business website is up and running, they're likely to find you faster because of your online presence and branding.
22. Build credibility by showing Awards, Reviews and Ratings
Has your company won industry awards? Does the employee have professional qualifications? Make sure they are mentioned on your site.
If you've satisfied your customers, use them. Positive customer reviews are available directly on the site. To help you get started, we've also created a list of templates for customers to leave reviews.
It may also be helpful to create a dedicated section on your webpage to showcase your "portfolio" of work (including photos, if applicable). Writing lots of positive reviews that are easily found on your business website is another way to set you apart from your competitors.
Grow your small business with Broadly
These are just some of the key benefits and reasons small businesses need a website. Need help promoting your business online and building an online presence? Broadly is here to help you build your professional website.
