When you’re starting a new business, you may be put off building a website due to cost, lack of web design knowledge, time or even understanding exactly how a website will bring in new customers or increase sales. Many businesses, especially those not selling physical goods in a shop setting, may think having a website is a bit of a luxury they can’t afford or necessarily need straight away.
However, website design doesn’t have to be uber expensive, time consuming or tedious. With Wix, we can build you a beautiful, user friendly site that is SEO compatible in next to no time and also importantly for small business owners, the cost is not anywhere near as expensive as you would think. Plus, Wix has a super easy to use back-end system that means you and your team can quickly and easily manage your website content, post blogs, reply to customer enquiries and send newsletters without the need for any coding.
But first we should explain just why having a website is one of the most fundamental things you need for your new business.
A huge proportion of the world is online nowadays. As of June 2017, 51% of the world’s population has internet access - compare that with just 1% having internet access in 1995 (data from International Telecommunication Union and Internet Live Stats)! This is a figure that is surely only going to rise.
Just stop and think how many potential customers that is who are looking for your business or brand and who can’t find it online if you don’t have a website. If you don’t have a website, you can bet your competitor does. And who would your potential customer find when searching for your business online? Answer: Your competitor. Not having a website and online presence for your business or brand is literally losing you money to your competitors.
Still not totally convinced? Well did you know that a 2013 study from GE Capital’s Retail Bank found that 81% of consumers go online before shopping in store? People shop differently nowadays; they research a product, a supplier or a company online to find out as much as possible before they even get in touch with you or step foot inside your store. Think about how you shop and how you find suppliers, you do the same don’t you and research online first? That’s why it’s so important to have an online presence for your business or brand.
You don’t have to be a big global business or brand to need an online presence. Even smaller local businesses should have an online business so people can easily contact them. Think about the last time you had lost a phone number for your local takeaway, you looked it up online didn’t you? While you were there you probably also checked out the menu and maybe even ordered it direct from the website without the need to step outside of your house.
Having a website for your business allows you to answer these types of questions for your customer quickly and also gives them confidence in your brand. They are able to see your products and services, see your prices and even check out reviews all from your website. Not only will a website get you more customers, it will also save you time answering basic enquiries about your business. A website does not have to be mind-blowing and cutting edge, but a simple website that makes it easy for customers to research your products or services and answer any questions they may have is an absolute must-have!
Your website is your online business card for your business or brand. It is something that should be taken seriously and should be top of your priorities when it comes to marketing your business or brand. A good website can be a huge asset to your business, it can literally make you money while you sleep, while a bad website can affect your business negatively and even lose you customers.
The best way to ensure that your business or brand has the very best website design that is user friendly and promotes your business is to hire a professional website designer. They can advise you exactly what content you need on your site, what kind of designs would work best for your brand, set up your SEO for you, source images and even help you with copywriting. If you take your website seriously and see it as an asset to your business, you will quickly reap the rewards of being online!
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