Why a Website?
So many small businesses have websites. Nowadays, you have to have one in order to stay visible on the biggest commerce source in the world: the internet. Around 85% of consumers use the internet to find local businesses. And sure, they could possibly find your Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter page. But consumers today are fickle and would rather open up a link that keeps them in their browser than takes them to their social media app (especially if they don't use that social media platform in the first place).
We talk a lot about how important social media is for small businesses. You don't want to miss out on the market that's in front of you on Facebook or Twitter. After all, nearly 70% of American adults use Facebook. However, that isn't 100%. Around half of those adults that do use Facebook use it every day. So, you're looking at an audience of around 35% of Americans who are likely to see your posts. That's nothing to sneeze at as it's easy to gain organic reach without those potential customers specifically searching for your product or service. But what if someone is looking for exactly what you offer?
That's where you want a website. Most people who are social media averse will still pull up Google and search for the service or product they need. You want to be in the higher up search results of Google with a website that is relevant, easy to use, mobile-friendly, and SEO-ready.
1) Build a relevant website.
When I say build a relevant website, I don't mean that it has to be super stylish (although some statistics do show that consumers will avoid websites they find unattractive or outdated in style). I just mean that the information needs to be what the potential customer is looking for. What services do you provide? What products do you sell? Where do you provide those things? How can they contact you? Maybe include some interesting details that fit who you are (such as "mom and pop," "Christian," "run by sisters or brothers," etc.).
Having a website that points clearly to honest and relevant information will help drive customers to your website over and over because they build trust with you when they can trust your website. It's even better if you can fit a lot of that information right on the front page so that it's quickly visible to a new visitor.
2) Build a website that's easy to use.
If your website is clunky and unstable or slow, then customers will click off almost immediately and go find a competitor. That's just the way it is. If scrolling is slow or glitchy, you have too many weird graphics flying around the site, or if you have too many pop-ups, then they'll find another website that doesn't. Be sure your website is usable, and test it yourself often. Make sure links work (because the frustration of a broken link will almost certainly send that would-be customer straight to your competitors) and keep the site clean of random graphics and pop-ups or animations.
3) Build a website that is mobile friendly.
Cool! You've built your website and you have all the animations looking clean with no confusing or annoying graphics or pop-ups. Not only that, but it runs smooth as butter. Now, let's check it out on our phone and- This is just the desktop version! It runs so slow and it's jittery and the buttons are so tiny that you have to zoom in just to have the chance to click them.
We've all been through the frustration of using a website that isn't mobile friendly. The site looks horrible on the taller, thinner smartphone screen and it's trying so hard to load so much info at once that your animations slow down the site and cause a jittery mess to show up on the screen.
There are so many website builders now that offer mobile friendly websites that it makes zero sense to build without that feature especially when you consider how many people will Google for businesses from their phones or tablets rather than their desktops or laptops. You want to be sure to let people have the smoothest transition from their position on the couch (where they inevitably remember some product or service they've been thinking about) straight to your website. But if it isn't mobile friendly, then it doesn't matter that they found you first. They'll jump straight to the next link in the search results.
4) Build a website that is SEO-ready.
Not many people know how to optimize their websites for search engines, but that is critical to having a successful website. If you can't be found and your website is on the very last page of every Google search, then it doesn't matter how cool or smooth your website is on a customer's mobile phone, they will never find it in the first place. According to Search Engine Land, in a survey conducted in 2018, 90% of survey respondents said they were likely to click on the first page of results. That means only 10% are even likely to visit the second page of results. People really don't like having to dig for information, it seems. So, you have to be ready with a website that works its way towards the first page of results so that your future customers can find you.
All in all, a website is incredibly important to any business, but especially a small business. Whether you are establishing yourself or already have a strong presence in your community, if you want to expand that reach, then it seems you'll need to find a way to get a good website up ASAP.
We talk a lot about how important social media is for small businesses. You don't want to miss out on the market that's in front of you on Facebook or Twitter. After all, nearly 70% of American adults use Facebook. However, that isn't 100%. Around half of those adults that do use Facebook use it every day. So, you're looking at an audience of around 35% of Americans who are likely to see your posts. That's nothing to sneeze at as it's easy to gain organic reach without those potential customers specifically searching for your product or service. But what if someone is looking for exactly what you offer?
That's where you want a website. Most people who are social media averse will still pull up Google and search for the service or product they need. You want to be in the higher up search results of Google with a website that is relevant, easy to use, mobile-friendly, and SEO-ready.
1) Build a relevant website.
When I say build a relevant website, I don't mean that it has to be super stylish (although some statistics do show that consumers will avoid websites they find unattractive or outdated in style). I just mean that the information needs to be what the potential customer is looking for. What services do you provide? What products do you sell? Where do you provide those things? How can they contact you? Maybe include some interesting details that fit who you are (such as "mom and pop," "Christian," "run by sisters or brothers," etc.).
Having a website that points clearly to honest and relevant information will help drive customers to your website over and over because they build trust with you when they can trust your website. It's even better if you can fit a lot of that information right on the front page so that it's quickly visible to a new visitor.
2) Build a website that's easy to use.
If your website is clunky and unstable or slow, then customers will click off almost immediately and go find a competitor. That's just the way it is. If scrolling is slow or glitchy, you have too many weird graphics flying around the site, or if you have too many pop-ups, then they'll find another website that doesn't. Be sure your website is usable, and test it yourself often. Make sure links work (because the frustration of a broken link will almost certainly send that would-be customer straight to your competitors) and keep the site clean of random graphics and pop-ups or animations.
3) Build a website that is mobile friendly.
Cool! You've built your website and you have all the animations looking clean with no confusing or annoying graphics or pop-ups. Not only that, but it runs smooth as butter. Now, let's check it out on our phone and- This is just the desktop version! It runs so slow and it's jittery and the buttons are so tiny that you have to zoom in just to have the chance to click them.
We've all been through the frustration of using a website that isn't mobile friendly. The site looks horrible on the taller, thinner smartphone screen and it's trying so hard to load so much info at once that your animations slow down the site and cause a jittery mess to show up on the screen.
There are so many website builders now that offer mobile friendly websites that it makes zero sense to build without that feature especially when you consider how many people will Google for businesses from their phones or tablets rather than their desktops or laptops. You want to be sure to let people have the smoothest transition from their position on the couch (where they inevitably remember some product or service they've been thinking about) straight to your website. But if it isn't mobile friendly, then it doesn't matter that they found you first. They'll jump straight to the next link in the search results.
4) Build a website that is SEO-ready.
Not many people know how to optimize their websites for search engines, but that is critical to having a successful website. If you can't be found and your website is on the very last page of every Google search, then it doesn't matter how cool or smooth your website is on a customer's mobile phone, they will never find it in the first place. According to Search Engine Land, in a survey conducted in 2018, 90% of survey respondents said they were likely to click on the first page of results. That means only 10% are even likely to visit the second page of results. People really don't like having to dig for information, it seems. So, you have to be ready with a website that works its way towards the first page of results so that your future customers can find you.
All in all, a website is incredibly important to any business, but especially a small business. Whether you are establishing yourself or already have a strong presence in your community, if you want to expand that reach, then it seems you'll need to find a way to get a good website up ASAP.