Many businesses, big or small question if they even need a website. We’ve come across many business owners who assume a Facebook page is good enough for their business.
While there are costs involved with setting up a new website, it can definitely help your business outperform the competition and gain more customers, which we’ve proven so with many of our clients We provide affordable web design because we care.
Why you need a website
A website allows you to communicate with potential customers. It also will also enable you to deliver your products and services to more people, organically. Whether you have something along the lines of a basic 5-page website or even an eCommerce website, both websites would communicate with potential customers. For example, the 5 page allows you to give information about your services instantly to the viewer and the eCommerce allows the same but with the opportunity to purchase whilst the consumer visits your website. Customers will also be able to discover your business through search engines, leading to more customers, leads, and sales!
Having a website is by far one of the best ways to put yourself in front of new potential customers. But many people still remain unsure about the need for a website and wonder if they actually need one. We’ve heard many people say that they have a Facebook page and think it is enough.
Website Vs. Facebook
Lots of business owners assume that having a social media profile for their business is enough. Maybe you already have a Facebook page and some pretty good reviews on social media.
But there are some problems with this approach. First, you’ll always be reliant on the social media platform you choose. Algorithms change, rules change, and what’s working one day might not work a few weeks from now (as many businesses who depended on Facebook have recently learned). If you have a website, it belongs to you, and you control the content and the message. Part of the reason you started your own business is so that you don’t have to follow other people’s rules—so why would you just do what a social media platform tells you to?
Trends change, too. If your customers are on Twitter today, they might be on Snapchat or a new platform that none of us have even heard of tomorrow. As people switch from one tool to the next, your website acts as an anchor. No matter what platform customers prefer, they can always find your website in the same place, available to everyone.
Facebook can be great for social exposure. But your page may not show up in search engines unless a customer searches for your brand directly. This means you could be missing out on new customers that are searching for your products or services.
Even though the popularity of social media platforms continues to rise, websites are still just as important for those offering products or services, even if you aren’t selling anything directly online.
A well-designed site optimised for search engines will help you reach local users searching for the products and services your business offers right when they need it. Which is something social media won’t be able to help you with!
If customers like what you’re selling then social media can help you reach more people. If your followers are liking and sharing your content or your actual page it will be seen by their friends. This will increase your chances of reaching new customers.
At its most basic level, Facebook can be a very helpful online “word of mouth” form of advertising and allow customers to endorse your company to their friends.
Example:
Let’s say you have an electricity business “Danni’s Electrical”. People will be able to find your Facebook page by searching for it directly on Facebook or they’ll learn about you because a friend shared your page.
They can also find your business using a search engine but only if they’re searching for “Danni’s Electrical”.
If a local customer had an emergency and was searching for “24-hour plumbing services” or “emergency plumber”, they may not be able to find you.
While you can apply some Search Engine Optimisation principles to a Facebook page it’s very limited. So unless a user is searching for you by name, you could be losing out on a lot of business!
Facebook Reach Declining
Another reason to consider a website over using just a Facebook page is that organic reach (free traffic) on Facebook has declined.
Having a website that is Search Engine Optimised allows you to target people looking for what you have to offer right when they’re searching.
Social media is a great form of online marketing but a website should really be the hub of your online presence and the place for you to present information about your business. Especially if you cater services to the local community.
If you are still wondering if you need a website, just imagine the number of people who might have been around the corner to your business who Googled a service you offer, but went to a competitor because you didn’t show in the results!
Not having a website could actually be costing you money and hurting your business.
