One of the questions many business owners have when starting their business is wondering what should they start with. The obvious choices come to mind. Business Cards, Brochures, maybe a car magnet or some type of signage like yard signs etc. Things that with minimal investment can be had. We might add to that a Facebook page and Google page to at least have some type of online presence and a way for people to find out. All great choices and what we would recommend for start up.

But a website, do I really need that?

Is a great question to ask. As noted on a previous blog, there are many options to getting a website, some which start with a small financial investment, but might require a lot of time to put together. Others that require a lot less time but might require a higher investment. To answer the question, should you get a website, we’ve put together a list of benefits to owning a website. If the benefits are something that you need or feel you should have, then by all means let’s get you a website. So here they are: Our Top 5 Reasons to Getting a Business Website. They’re in no particular order.

1. Increases the chances of success. There is a huge benefit to a business looking like they have it together. Like they’re going to be around for the long haul. If someone is hiring you to build something or install something that might need maintenance at some point, they want to know you’re here to stay. Having a web presence starts building credibility and a client acquired today, could mean a client needing maintenance tomorrow and therefore allowing you to plant seeds that will produce fruits in the future. If a business is to grow exponentially, then that process will need to exist in your business and having a website increases those chance.
2. People can Find you. There is no question; If someone wants to find your services, they’re probably going to start with Google. Having a website that has your phone number, address, google maps integration up to date, will allow Google to first learn that data, then display that information quicker and accurately when someone searches you. Although having a Google business page will also give you the same results, most people look for the website link at that point to get the information straight from the source. Think of a restaurant menu for example. We rather see the menu on the restaurants website because we know is probably up to date.
3. You choose what people see. One other item your website will feed Google and other search engines is photos. Your reputation matters and when someone searches your company they will first be attracted to what they see. If what they see are the photos that you have taken the time to gather and provide to your web developer, then hopefully that is what they see first. You also choose what people read. We will talk about reviews in a few, but imagine someone wondering if a construction project will keep the whole house dusty and dirty and loud etc. If they visit your website and see photos of your crews working in a clean environment, taking precautions to be neat, then that might be the right client to hire you. Your website allows you to choose what others perceive.
4. Reviews. Everyone wants to know how you’ve done with previous clients. We want people to know when they were happy, and unhappy to be honest. If someone has put a negative review, regardless of which platform, answering back with an apology and what steps you will take to correct the matter now and in the future, is the best thing you can do. From your website, directing your clients to the reviews that you want your prospects to see might make them pick up the phone to experience the same satisfaction others have had.
5. Call to Action. What do I do now? Many people looking for your services might not know where to start. Being specific on what the next step is is critical. No one will do that for you, not google, not Facebook. Is the next step a phone call? Schedule an appointment on your online calendar, filling out a form? Walking your client through the process will ease their worries and allow them to take the steps when they’re ready. But you se the expectation from the start by providing the call to action.

Yes, our list could have been longer. But if these items make sense to you, you probably don’t need 5 reasons or even 10. One should be good. These are the type of items a good web design company will include in their conversation with you when you need a website. Is part of the plan so that your investment is returned with satisfied clients that will help you grow your business by sharing their positive experience with others. We hope that this article has given you some things to think about when growing your business. And if we can be of help, please don’t hesitate to Contact Us.