Does my business need a website?

Well, the answer to that is pretty much always going to be a very simple yes. We’ll go into the various reasons why in-depth shortly but whilst not every business needs a website, yours probably does. There just isn’t really any downsides to having a website.

What are the reasons to not have a website?

Honestly, there aren’t many. The first one that springs to mind is that your business already runs at capacity and you don’t have any capacity to get more clients. And even with this reason, you never know when your business may take downturn due to an unknown factor.

Most of us know of a business who was previously very busy and stable who were rocked by the pandemic. The pandemic really did emphasise the need to have a website and online presence.  Having that website to spread your business name could make a massive difference. It could be the difference between having to lay off some staff and getting by in tough times. And whilst yes, you could just setup a website when you need it,  it won’t be ranking in any search engines at first so an established website that is ready is always better than trying to put one together just when needed.

The only other real downsides to having a website are if the website is badly built or designed it could be gaining you nothing whilst costing your business a lot. Another reason mentioned by some people is that you could become over-reliant on the website. But once again, this is more about issues with your overall marketing strategy than an issue with having a website.

Why does my business need a website?

This section will be a bit longer, as there is a lot of reasons. We could be here till the sun explodes listing them so we’ll just try and list some of the main reasons.

Having a website for your business makes you appear more credible.

Don’t believe me? Just take a look at this survey which shows that 84% of today’s consumers think a website makes your business more credible over one which just has a social media page. If you needed a reason, surely this has to be all you really need. And to top that, whilst creating your website, why not setup a business branded email domain too. The same study shows that 74% would trust a company branded email more than a business who just uses a free email account such as Gmail.

If you don’t have a website, you’re potentially missing out on customers.

As of January 2021, around 4.66 billion people use the internet across the world. Without a website, those customers can’t see you. And this number is only going to increase. As the world gets more digital every day without a website and online presence, you’ll become less visible by the day.

Your competitors will be online, and if they aren’t they will be soon, so if you don’t you will get left behind. And there really is no reason to risk that. Websites aren’t just for the privileged and the rich anymore. They are incredibly affordable, with websites designed professionally such as by ourselves starting from around £250. But if you wanted to take the DIY approach and build it yourself, your cost can be nearly £0.

If you sell products, then you need to sell online.

During 2021, the amount of people who will purchase products online is estimated to be around 2.14 billion. This is a massive number. And just like the point above, if you aren’t selling online, you’ll be missing out on all this potential custom. And the trend will only keep going upwards. Back in 2018, this figure was only at 1.8 billion. This is a jump of over 0.34 billion people who shop online in just 3 years. These figures make it clear as day, if you don’t start selling your products online, you will end up left behind by your competitors.

Even local businesses need websites.

You might not think that you need a website if you’re a local business who just sells products and services locally. Well you’re wrong. 91% of consumers use the internet to look for local goods and services. I don’t need to really tell you this, you’ve no doubt done this yourself. If you need a plumber or electrician, gone are the days of looking in the phone book. We just have a quick google for “plumbers near me” and we get a list of who to contact as well as being able to see their reviews. If you don’t have a website, you won’t be on that list. Even if I did look in the phone book, I’d probably Google the company first. If they don’t have a website, I already have less trust in them.

A great business website will increase your productivity.

You know the scenario, you get calls asking the same questions all the time. Well, those calls are costing your business and employees a lot of time. And that is where your website can come to the rescue. Your website can include all the answers to those questions your customer ask you all of the time. Just like our FAQ page does for us. In doing this, you will be saving a lot of time every day that your employees can then use to work on something else.

On top of this, your website doesn’t close. It is always open. And did you know that the peak time for internet usage in the UK is 9PM according to the ONS? Without a website, and maybe with just a listing in the online equivalent of the telephone book, they’ll try and call but your business will be closed. That is a customer lost. With a website, they can just send you a message through the website for you to pick up in the morning.

So, do I need a website for my business?

I think by this point in the article, you definitely know the answer, but just in case you don’t , the answer is yes. And even in the situations where its not a necessity, you probably should. One thing is for sure, you will definitely be better off with a website than without.  Should you be either undecided or wanting to go ahead with a website, then why not contact us today so we can discuss it further.