If you’re a small business and you’re operating locally, you might think that word of mouth is all you need. It is true that word of mouth and local advertising can go a long way for many small business owners. But if you don’t have a website to back it up, you’re likely hurting yourself and your business opportunities.
Businesses of all sizes need a website that WORKS
Consider this: How often do you hear about a business from a friend. Or see a company van parked in the neighbor’s driveway. The first thing many of us do is whip out our phones and Google the name. What if nothing comes up? Or, worse yet, what if your COMPETITOR comes up? All because you didn’t take the time to set up your own website.
Here are 5 reasons why you NEED to set up a website for your small business.
1 – It’s easy and doesn’t need to cost a lot
There are so many options to set up a website these days (including our services). Take a few hours one day after work or on a weekend and do some quick searching. There are lots of quick and easy tools online that cost only dollars a month. Wix, SquareSpace, GoDaddy and others all have compelling offers. If you’re really still not feeling it, then there are dozens of website design companies that can get you up and running easily as well, albeit for an added service cost.
2 – It adds credibility
Think of the example from earlier. You Google the name of a company you passed on your way home and nothing comes up. You immediately wonder what kind of business they are if they can’t even set up a good website. These days, people expect all companies to have an online presence. If they don’t, they are immediately skeptical.
3 – You’re ‘always open’ with 24/7 access
Unless you’re a robot, you need to sleep. But we don’t all have the same schedules. Some people may be doing research for the very product or service that you provide while you rest. You don’t want them to spend their time reading your competitor’s blog, and making plans to call them in the morning. With a properly configured website, they can learn all about you AND send you a request for more information, all without you ever lifting a finger.
4 – It can be a source of free advertising
If you have a website and you make it a point to update it regularly, then you also stand a good chance of showing up in local search engine results. This is free publicity. When people Google your name, or terms that are related to the services that you provide, you don’t stand a chance of showing up if you don’t have a website (we also offer ongoing campaigns to help increase your odds of showing up in the SERPs!)
5 – You control the narrative
Sounds kind of paranoid, doesn’t it? But the truth is that not everyone plays nice online. Sometimes your competition tries to intentionally mislead readers, or sometimes a person that is not even your customer gets annoyed with you for parking your truck on the street in front of their house. All it takes is a couple of minutes to post a scathing review online whether it is justified or not. With a website, you get to control the narrative. You can relay the information about your product and services that you find most important. You can also display happy customer testimonials or photos of your work, which increases your credibility even further.
Get online today
So don’t wait. Get your small business online today. Do the leg work and get it done. If you’re still not sure how to start, contact us and we will be happy to lend a hand.
