If this were the only reason on the list, it would be
enough. Six out of ten consumers expect brands to provide online content about
their business on some form of digital property, and more than half head
straight to the brand’s website for product information.
If you don’t have a business website, today’s digital-savvy
(and impatient) customers may look elsewhere. Take a look at this list of
specifics that customers say they want from a business website.
2. It provides social proof.
Ninety percent of consumers claim that online reviews
influence their buying decisions.
You could rely on FourSquare, Yelp, and other review sites
to host reviews for your brand, but you can kill two birds with one stone on
your own website.
Since potential buyers are already looking for you online,
including customer testimonials on your site is a great way to impress
potential buyers.
3. You control the narrative.
It’s true that you cannot control what others say about you
on social media channels, but you can influence public perception by creating
your own story via a business website.
A company blog helps business owners get their message,
mission, and personality in front of their target audience faster than print
ads or snail mail brochures.
Plus, social icons linking to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
and other networking platforms make sharing your content easier for your
visitors who like what they see.
4. More bang for your buck.
When you use a free
website-building tool, like
WordPress.com, you position your company to reach thousands more potential
customers for less than you would spend mailing ten brochures by traditional
mail.
5. You don’t need extensive coding or technical skills.
Because WordPress — and a number of other website-building
platforms — offer online tutorials and community-based support, almost anyone
can get a basic website up and running in about thirty minutes.
6. Your competitors all have company websites.
Consumers typically start their buying journey with research
and recommendations from peers and social network connections.
Studies show that once a consumer has an idea of what they
need or want, they start researching, and 72 percent of them go online to find
educational material, reviews, and testimonials, according to a recent report.
So if you’re not staying competitive with your competition,
you’re giving shoppers a reason to buy from another brand.
7. Never put up the ‘closed for business’ sign again.
Nobody wants to work at 3 a.m., but some people like to shop
then. Having a business website or ecommerce store means that you can sell
products all the time — not simply between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
An online store can mean a dramatic boost in sales,
especially when you factor in additional customers who are not restricted by
geography. Your online presence also supports marketing campaigns, customer
service, client relationship building, brand recognition, and almost every
other element of the revenue stream.
Combining your website with marketing tools, like email
marketing, helps you reach new customers and generate repeat business.
8. You’ll show up in Google search results.
Consider this: 81 percent of consumers perform online
research before making a purchase. That means they go to Google and type in one
or more keywords, like “best leather shoes” or, if they know what they want,
“handcrafted Italian leather women’s shoes in Los Angeles.”
If you don’t have a website for your business, the chances
of showing up on the search engine results page (SERP) are zero. But if you
have a site, you can optimize it for search engines, thereby increasing your
chances of appearing at the top of Google’s results and getting more visibility
with potential customers.
Long-tail keywords, meta descriptions, and titles are just
some of the things you can customize on your site to improve your search engine
optimization (SEO).
9. Create a resource center for your staff.
In addition to helping customers, your business website can
also benefit your own employees.
Create an orphan page (one that is not visible anywhere on
the site so it can’t be found unless someone is given the direct link) with
self-service videos, instructional materials, or even internal forms to help
your team learn everything they need to know on their own schedules.
10. Showcase your products and services.
Not only can you display your products or outline your
services in detail with beautiful images, but you can provide short video
tutorials or downloadable PDF instructions to give hesitant customers no reason
to go elsewhere to purchase.
