Here are the top 12 benefits of having a website in 2021.
- ROI > initial investment
- Online presence 24/7
- Credibility. Trust. Authority.
- Rank on Google (SEO)
- Advertising
- Streamline your processes
- Salesman 24/7
- E-commerce
- Differentiate your business
- Scale your business
- Mailing list
- Local listings
Skip the intro and jump straight to the list »
Do I need a website?
The question I receive most from business owners looking into the idea of a website design (or redesign) is usually some form of the following:
- What is the use of a website if I’m doing fine without one?
- Why is it important to have a website if I already have social media?
- What’s the main purpose of a website? It just seems like another thing I’ll have to worry about.
And these questions are fair. Without owning a website, especially as a small business owner, the direct benefits realized from owning one might not be apparent.
What the stats say
It would be easy for me to be viewed as biased as we offer web design services at Mentality Designs.
But to prove I’m not the only one who sees the benefits of owning a website, I thought it would be useful to start with some stats courtesy of Verisign.
First, let’s take a look at what consumers think of businesses that have their own website:
- 91% of consumers use the internet to look for local goods or services.
- 93% use the internet for research before making a purchase.
- 64% prefer to buy from businesses they can contact online.
- 77% believe that a website makes a business appear more credible.
But it doesn’t stop there. Let’s now take a look at what small business owners think after investing into their own website:
- 97% would recommend having a website to other small businesses.
- 81% say that a website has helped to grow their business.
- 76% agree a website is a great way to find new customers.
- 68% said a website is their best online marketing tool.
The stats speak for themselves – the need for a business website has never been more critical for business owners than it is today.
Now, to the list of the top 12 advantages of having your own website.
1. ROI > initial investment
If I had to pick the most obvious reason business owners should invest in a website it would be this – a professional website will deliver an ROI that will surpass the initial investment quicker than you might expect.
From obtaining new leads to communicating the unique value of your products, your website will work for you 24/7.
And that work will pay off quickly.
Imagine you are a plumbing business and invest $3K in a new website and it brings you in 2 new customers a month at $1K. After two months, your website will have already paid for itself.
Anything after will be profit in your pocket.
2. Online presence 24/7
Having a website online means customers will always be able to find you.
Whether you are at home watching Netflix or making dinner for your family, potential customers can find you online.
Furthermore, most users make buying decisions with the help of a search engine. So if you aren’t online, your customer will go to a competitor.
3. Credibility. Trust. Authority.
Having a website for your business will help potential customers trust your company. And trust, as mentioned in this study published by Linkedin, is the single most critical factor in closing deals with new customers.
Furthermore, a website is a perfect place to display customer reviews, positive testimonials, and other third-party social proof.
The power of good social proof can’t be overlooked – It was found that 88% of consumers trust user reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Finally, a website with an established blog can help increase authority within your niche. This authority will naturally increase your perceived value to potential customers allowing you to increase your worth and how much you can charge for your products.
4. Rank on Google (SEO)
SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of targeting and obtaining specific search traffic. This will allow you to rank on Google and bring additional traffic/leads to your business passively.
Traffic obtained through SEO is the most valuable traffic you can receive to your site as these people are already looking for your product or service.
When someone looks up “plumber San Francisco,” what they are looking for isn’t a mystery. They need a plumber.
So if your plumbing service shows up #1 in those results you will have a huge advantage over your competition.
Having a web designer that also specialized in SEO will allow the SEO strategy to be built into your web design and streamlines this process (such as the “gold” web design package offered by us).
Furthermore, if you would like to see a comparison between SEO and PPC marketing, check out this article by Databox.
5. Advertising
If you have a website, or at the very least a landing page, this will make it possible to advertise with tools such as Google Adwords or Facebook ads.
These are two of the most powerful marketing platforms on the planet and will allow you to target your ideal customers and communicate your company’s value.
6. Streamline your processes
In addition to the direct ROI delivered, a website can also deliver indirect value in the form of time savings and stress reduction.
Having critical information readily available on your website will reduce the need for direct communication until your customer is further down the conversion chain.
Listing your address, business hours, descriptions of your offerings, and FAQ are just a couple examples of information you can provide to your customers to make their lives easier.
Advanced integrations such as automated booking for consultations and chat widgets will allow for real-time process streamlining and help turn prospects into customers quicker and easier.
7. Salesman 24/7
I always tell my clients to picture your website as a “24/7 salesman.”
Think about it – every night when you go to sleep, what is your website doing?
It’s hard at work attempting to reach and sell to new clients.
When you are on a beach in Mexico enjoying a vacation with your family, your website is working for you.
No matter the circumstance, your website doesn’t need sleep or a break. It continues to work for you.
How effectively it accomplishes this is ultimately up to you (and your website designer).
Your website should attract the “right” clients, communicate your value to them, explain why you are the best option available (social proof), answer their questions, and in some cases – sell your product to them.
Just like a salesman would.
8. E-commerce
Post-COVID, many businesses are shifting to e-commerce platforms.
This is due to many factors including lower overhead costs when compared to traditional brick-and-mortar shops, sales of digital products, and 24/7 sales capabilities.
For these reasons, E-commerce is also one of the best ways to scale a business in 2021 and is only possible with an appropriately set up website.
If you’re curious about the 10 best ecommerce platforms, check out this article by Ecommerce CEO.
9. Differentiate your business
From the page content to its visual layout, a website allows you the opportunity to communicate your unique offerings to your customers.
This allows you to position yourself as you’d like to be perceived by your potential customers.
Too many low-quality clients? Targeting a specific industry? No problem.
If you want to attract a specific type of customer/client, you can communicate that on your website.
Tell your customers why they should choose you.
And they might just listen.
10. Scale your business
Websites create unique opportunities to access anyone in the world at any time.
It doesn’t matter if you sell physical products, digital downloads, or even online coaching, you can set up landing pages to target other countries.
This situation makes it possible to scale your business in any way you please.
There is no limit to your reach online, especially if you implement a professional SEO strategy.
11. Mailing list
Developing a mailing list is one of the most valuable things you can do as a business owner.
Why?
Because the people in your mailing list are telling you they are interested in what you offer.
Once you have someone’s email, you have the capability to pitch your offerings to them via email marketing campaigns.
If strategized correctly, an email list can bring in tons of additional revenue and sales for your business.
12. Local listings
Owning a website will allow you to submit your website to local listings and directories which can lead to additional traffic.
This can be incredibly valuable to small businesses, especially local services businesses, as it’ll give you a leg up on the competition in your local area.
Final thoughts
A professionally built website can deliver massive results both directly and indirectly.
The benefits experienced by a small business owner will differ from a mid-sized tech start-up, but the value is apparent in both scenarios.
Websites allow you to not just work “in” your business but also “on” your business as you focus your time and energy on the processes that matter.
Looking for a new website?
We specialize in web design and have worked with many different businesses to boost their web presence.
Feel free to reach out to schedule a consultation here or just give us a text directly at (408) 627-2296 to schedule a free virtual web design consultation.
