If you are a small business owner that is unsure if your website is an asset or a hassle for your business, you are not alone. In fact, despite the fact that over 97% of customers now use the internet to research goods and services before purchasing, the Small Business Administration reports that only HALF of small businesses have websites in place! You heard us right, that’s only 50 percent!
So why do so many small business owners choose to not have websites despite the overwhelming evidence that they benefit business? And for those SMB owners that already have a website in place, why do they feel that their website is hindering rather than helping their brand?
In this post, we will explore three of the benefits that you SHOULD be seeing from your SMB website, followed by easy-to-fix mistakes that may be making your website more of a hassle than an asset for your brand.
Three Benefits you SHOULD see from your SMB Website
1. A website dramatically increases your chance of being found by customers
2. A website demonstrates you are an established and credible business
Creating a web presence is a key way to show potential customers that you are an established and credible business. Since the majority of consumers now find new companies via the internet, trust is extremely important. If all someone finds about your brand is a defunct Facebook page or an out-of-date listing in the Yellow pages, why would they pick you? By creating a website that has clear and convenient contact methods, a street address, pictures and bios of your staff, you are showing your potential buyers that you are a real business that they can trust. If you want to learn more, check out this previous post on how SMBs can compete with large businesses by utilizing their websites.
3. A website is an important sales tool for your company
When you have a website, it is your own space to SELL your brand by informing, engaging, and converting visitors. Once a potential customer finds your page, your website is your best sales tool to show them why they should choose your business instead of the competition. Including examples of your best work, useful resources, testimonials, and strong calls-to-action are ways you can influence customers to choose you, all through a relatively inexpensive means of advertising!
Three Reasons you do not see these benefits
Establishing a website is not enough to guarantee these benefits. In fact, if done improperly, your website could actually hurt your business. If your website is currently more of a hassle than an asset to your company, review the below three reasons that you may not be seeing the many benefits that SHOULD come along with having a company website.
1. Your website is not SEO friendly
To improve your SEO ask yourself these questions:
Is your website design responsive?
Do you have a company blog?
Have you established social media channels for your business?
If the answer to any of these questions is “no,” it is time to get to work to ensure you are not missing out on the 64 percent of online traffic that originates with search engines.
2. Your website lacks CTAs
Once you ensure your website is SEO-friendly, you should see an increase in web traffic, but what, exactly, do you want your website visitors to do? This is where calls-to-action come in! CTAs are anything that prompts your visitors, leads, and customers to take a specific action, and are a critical part of converting website visitors to leads. If you do not currently have CTAs incorporated into your website, this could be another reason that you are seeing minimal to no benefits from your web presence.
3. Your website does not link to social media accounts
If your website is currently more of a burden than an asset, we encourage you to review the benefits you should be seeing and the reasons you may not be seeing the benefits that you would like to see. Once you have figured out where you may be missing the mark, it’s time to get to work, and make your website work FOR you, not AGAINST you!
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