As technologies evolve, consumer behavior changes as well. For instance, in the past, people used the yellow pages to look up businesses. With the advent of the internet, however, discovering establishments is as easy as a Google search. This means your business must be searchable online, and having your own website will help you achieve that.
Why is a website essential for your business? Here are five compelling reasons:
1. A website helps customers find you
Having a website enables your business to utilize search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, which can boost your online visibility. According to a study, 53.3% of all website traffic comes from organic search results, or listings that most closely match a user’s search query based on relevance. So if your business uses SEO best practices and tools, customers will more easily learn about your company.
2. A website helps you appear more credible and professional
Credibility is more important than ever for consumers today. If your business looks credible online, your visitors are more likely to trust you and turn into customers.
Your website can help you appear more credible by regularly posting content that will help establish you as an expert or authority in your field or industry. These could be how-to videos and blogs, and downloadable resources like eBooks and white papers. You can also showcase your business’s professional certifications or awards.
Having a website with your own URL also enables you to use custom email addresses (e.g., bob@yourwebsite.com), which looks more professional than communicating with your customers using a personal email address.
3. A website acts as a brochure
Having a website allows you to promote your products and services online. One of the most effective ways to do this is through a targeted landing page. This is a page that prospective customers land on after they click on your link, whether from a search or a marketing campaign. Your landing page should effectively describe what your products and services are and how they can solve your audience’s problems.
You can also offer promos, such as a discount on their first order, to entice people into doing business with you.
4. A website allows you to show social proof
Social proof refers to the evidence that other people have found value in your products or services. Since people are more likely to purchase a product or service that others have already bought, social proof can be a powerful tool to increase website conversions.
One way to show social proof is by displaying customer testimonials and product reviews on your website. You can also share newspaper articles, blogs, videos, or other media that featured your business.
5. A website helps you stand out among the competition
If your competitors don’t have a website yet, building a high-quality website before they do allows your business to be seen first by people online.
However, if your rivals already have a website, you can use your own website to better capture the attention and address the needs of your potential customers.
Once you’ve created your website, it’s important to protect it and its supporting IT infrastructure from cyberattacks. NetQuest can help by constantly monitoring for online threats and hackers and preventing them from disrupting your operations. If your business is in Baltimore, Annapolis, or Towson, request a risk-free audit today.
