If you run a local business, regardless of your geographic target area, you’d better be thinking online, social and mobile. The first component – and perhaps the most essential – of this strategy is your company or business website.
So why do you need a good website and how can you be sure it’ll convert those shoppers into buyers? Here are 6 essential reasons why you should strengthen your online presence with a mobile-responsive website.
1. You Need a Digital Business Card
Stats have shown that people spend, on average, 23.6 hours online each week and nearly 5 hours every day on their mobile devices. So, if you want to be discovered where people are spending their time, it’s essential to have accurate information about your company accessible in that space.
A website acts as a digital business card for your business: people can always reference it again and again for things like contact information, names of employees, services offered and more.
2. You Need to Be Discoverable in Search Engine Results
People don’t just browse the Internet to discover companies they want to do businesses with; more specifically, they visit search engines. 93% of online experiences start with a search engine. And nearly half of these searches are for local businesses.
So, you need to have a search-optimized company website that can rank well in search engine results. This will ensure consumers are able to find and connect with your business.
3. It Will Help You Build Credibility
When it comes to convincing consumers to do business with you, first impressions are important. 57 percent of people won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile site. That’s right consumers make judgments about your business based on the appearance of your website.
Having a professionally designed, thorough and easy-to-use website can help you to more easily convey to potential customers that you are a reputable organization, one they want to do business with and with high chances of returning for more.
4. It’s Not as Difficult, or as Expensive as You, May Think.
You don’t need to be tech-savvy to get a website. Many web development companies have very simple signup processes which make the process quick and painless for you.
It can be very cost effective. Websites offer a better return on investment than any other form of advertising. If you’re planning to market your business, a website should be your first priority.
Over time the relatively low investment of getting a business website will pay dividends by driving you new customers and building your brand. Plus, it’s a legitimate business expense and a tax write off.
5. It Will Help You Beat The Goliaths in Your Line of Business
Did you know that having a website can help you beat the Goliaths in your industry? It can if it’s optimized for search. Take for instance Jumia is one of the top eCommerce stores in West Africa, especially Nigeria, they sell almost anything (goods) you can think of but Konga which is another eCommerce have no trouble holding their own thanks to their website and their prominent position in the search results page.
6. Your Competitors Probably Have One
While 36 percent of small businesses don’t have their own website, 64 percent of them do. This means that the majority of small businesses do have a presence online, and it’s likely that your competitors have a website that is appealing to people in your area.
So what are you waiting for, I hope you don’t want to shutdown.
If you want to stay relevant and competitive within your field, it’s important that your business have a footprint online—it not only helps you stay competitive, but it also helps cement your role as a forward-thinking, tech-savvy business.