Websites are the staple of the internet. Every other business or influencer has a website. But does your business need one?
Maybe you already have a thriving offline business and you don’t see why your business needs a website or the benefits of a business website.
In this article, we’ll outline some of the reasons why a website might be the best thing to happen to your business and some reasons why you might pass.
Here we go:
1. A website gives your business a home online
Imagine if you had a marketer who is always available to serve your customers while you sleep.
Making this the top reason why your business needs a website is no accident. The aim of your business is definitely to make money. And the more people who know about your business, the higher your chances of making more money.
A website gives your business more visibility. It gives your business a home online, where anyone anywhere can easily find it by a few clicks on their phone or computer. This expands your customer base beyond the immediate locale of your offline address. What this means is that you will no longer depend only on those who visit your showroom.
With a good website, you make the internet your showroom as well, and anyone anywhere can have access to your products and services.
2. Your business is open all day long
Your business is never really closed for the day if you have a website. Your customers can visit your website at midnight to check out new products and/or services, or to make orders.
If you have an international market, the difference in time zones may mean that the time in which they shop isn’t always when you’re physically present at your offline base. Having a website takes care of this barrier, since they can easily go to your website to place their orders, pending when you’re around to attend to them.
In relation to your offline competition, you have that extra advantage of being available at all times, and customers can reach you at their own convenience.
3. You have more control over your content (and customer data)
You may wonder: if you’ll have to share your website link on social media, then why own a website, why not let social media platforms serve as your website?
The simple answer is that social media is borrowed ground and you do not own the content you create there. This is why your posts may get deleted, blocked or not be approved in the first place.
But with a website, you are in full control. You get to say what you want on your website, choose how to contact your prospective and current customers, as well as make sales there. Exactly the same way you have control of your shop.
You can also track customer activities in ways that social media platforms may not allow you to. The data obtained can provide some business insight and help you come up with better market strategies.
You can even keep a record of people who visit your website without making orders. A close study of the available metrics may suggest what you need to improve to convert them into paying customers.
4. A business website can help generate passive income
You may have heard this so many times, but maybe that’s because it’s true.
After so many people have found out about your business via your website, you need to convert a higher percentage of them to paying customers. A good website, with convincing content and clear calls-to-action, will help you achieve just that.
Also, a website helps you save the high cost of owning several shops across different locations. Thus, from your one shop, you get to connect and supply to your customers anywhere via your website.
Offline adverts and promotions often require huge sums of money. With a website, you just need to upload new content or update an existing one with the information you wish to convey, at little or no cost. Moreover, you get many more responses than you would for offline ads.
5. A website positions your business as real and professional
In this age of internet fraud, having a website for your business can save you the embarrassment of coming across as fake. This is especially true if you’re dealing with (prospective) customers beyond the shores of your home country. Cases abound of importers who have lost precious opportunities with foreign companies because they have no business websites.
If you need external funding for your business, like loans and grants from recognized institutions and foundations, having a website positions you as a professional and gives you an edge.
Conclusion
Getting a website for your business is very essential. It makes your business more visible and accessible to customers at any time and anywhere in the world. Hence, it cuts the cost of acquiring several offline shops and makes your prospective customers build trust in you and your business. You may not always be available at your offline base, but a website gives you the needed control over your business.
