In this day and age, every business should have a website. Even if you are a small business that only serves people in your local community or if your social media accounts are already doing the heavy lifting, you need a website.
There are so many benefits of getting a website for a small local business. We have identified our top nine that you should consider as a small business owner. Here they are.
A Website Helps Local Customers Find You
Once upon a time, when people need a service, they walk into town or use the Yellow Pages to find a business that provides it. Those days are long gone. Now, everyone just uses Google.
For example, let’s assume you have decided to get a website for your small local business. Let’s also assume you live in Macarthur. Then, you’d probably try to find a web designer by Googling “Website designers in Macarthur” or “Website designers near me.” This is how most people find what they need in this digital age and probably how you found my website.
If people need a plumber, they Google “plumber near me”. If they need to wash their car, they Google “car wash near me.”
In other words, most people use companies that Google recommends. And Google can only recommend businesses that it is aware of. One of the best ways to tell Google about your business is to get a website.
A Website Secures Your Online Presence
There are limits to what you can do with social media accounts. These platforms can change their policies all the time making it difficult for you to keep up with the latest. What’s worse is that you don’t own your Facebook or Instagram page, the social media company does.
So, you shouldn’t put your business’s fate in the hands of a social media company.
It’s like building on another person’s land. What if the landowner changes the rules or asks for their land back?
You Don’t Own Your Social Media Account, Facebook Does.
Businesses spend lots of time and effort building their Facebook and Instagram accounts. Yet, these accounts can be suspended or deactivated at any time. Before I got into the website developer business, I had a family member who had their Facebook account hacked along with their business page. When they reported the hack, instead of getting their accounts back Facebook deleted them. With one click, there goes all the followers, posts and community they spent so long to build.
A personal website provides security and stability. You don’t have to play by anyone’s rules. You can add any function and feature you want. More importantly, no one can suspend or deactivate your website. You are in total control.
This is why your small local business needs a website. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are great to start with, but a dedicated website is much better. It’s the only way to secure your business’s online presence.
A Website Allows Customers Outside Your Locale to Find You
What if you are a small local business? Most businesses try to expand at some point. Plus, some customers can’t come to your physical office.
So, if you want to reach customers beyond your immediate location, you need a website. You can’t afford to rely on social media alone.
If you want customers beyond your locale, you need to be online. And if you want to maximise your online presence, you need a website.
A Website Is Like an Extra Employee and Office
A website knows everything there is to know about your business. Therefore, visitors can learn about your goods, services, values and team members with just a few clicks.
It gets even better. A good business website can showcase your services, show the areas you operate in and answer any frequently asked questions. This way, you and your team can focus on more productive matters.
Now, here is the best part. Your website is online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So, while you are getting a well-deserved rest after a stressful day, your customers are not left in the cold. They can still get help.
A Website Gives Your Business a Voice
This is why most business websites have blogs. Blogging has always been a way of connecting and communicating with the rest of the world. People use it to share their thoughts, experiences and share their expertise by answering questions.
Through this blog post, we are telling you about the benefits of getting a website for your small local business. We could create another about how to improve website traffic through Search Engine Optimisation.
By answering common questions people have, you are working towards driving more online traffic to your website to show potential customers what you have to offer. That is the point of having a blog attached to your business website. When you get a website for your business, you should create helpful blog posts to attract and help new and existing customers.
A Quality Website Is Ongoing Advertisement
Let’s assume that you provide electrical services and are in Campbelltown.
When people Google “Electrician near me” or “Electrician in Campbelltown”, your website will show up. When they Google Electrician questions specific to your area, your website will show up if you have a blog post to answer it.
They don’t even need to make location-specific inquiries. Google already knows their location. So, you just need to have relevant answers on your website. Then, Google will give you free traffic and advertisement.
This applies to all search engines, not Google alone. Obviously, things are not that simple. You must optimise your website and blog posts (for search engines) to enjoy this free advert.
It is cheaper in the long run than paying for ongoing TV or Facebook Ads. Think of your website as your online billboard promoting your business 24/7.
A Website Makes Your Business Seem More Professional
Perception is everything. People expect professionals to have websites. So, if you don’t, they might underestimate you.
All the big players have professional websites. So, people assume every business that doesn’t have one is small time. This is why even a small local business needs a website. It’s a way to say, “My business might be small, but it is definitely not small time.”
However, a badly designed website is almost as bad as no website. It may even be worse. A business website should be easy to navigate and responsive.
A Website Helps You Build Trust and Credibility
Most business websites have a section dedicated to testimonials or pictures that show off their quality work. It’s a great way to boost your business.
Think about it. You serve a local community. So, prospective customers may know and trust some of your old customers.
What happens when they see those customer’s testimonies on your website? They start trusting you. After all, people they know and trust are recommending you.
Conclusion
There you go. Now, you have nine good reasons to get a website for your small local business.
Get a website, even if your business is a small one that only targets local customers. Just remember that a badly designed website is just as bad as no website.
Fortunately, it’s very easy to get a professional business website. You can hire professional website designers like us, Cyberspark Digital. There are lots of website builders out there like Wix, WordPress, and Squarespace. However, if you want the best service and results, hire a professional website designer.
A website designer focuses on creating a bespoke website that is perfect for your business. That’s what we do at Cyberspark Digital. We also manage website security and performance. In other words, we ensure your website is secure and easy to navigate. We’ll also ensure it performs well on Google and other search engines.