You’ve drawn up your business plan, secured your finances, and taken the first steps toward running your own business. It’s an exciting time, but now that you’ve started, you’ve realized that being a business owner comes with a lot of expenses you haven’t anticipated. Running your social media, managing your reputation, and becoming visible online amongst millions of other businesses can be a tall order if you don’t know where to start; however, there is one critical piece of the puzzle every business owner must start out with, and that is a well-optimized, beautiful, and functional website.
Having a website built can be a costly endeavor, so is it something your business really needs to have? The answer is a resounding “yes,” not only because it is a baseline expectation for a modern business, but also because of the many benefits a website can provide.
Perhaps your business is doing well enough without a website. However, you may be missing out on some opportunities. Websites are the number one way for businesses to connect with new customers and existing ones, and lack of a website can mean lost revenue for your company. If you’re already established, having a website will help you keep track of current customers, as well as create easy-to-find resources for new ones. With an easy-to-navigate site to help them navigate the world of your business and make purchasing decisions, customers will come back again and again. It can even boost your SEO ranking when it’s put together professionally.
A website also helps you connect with your ideal customers by providing an insight into who they are and what their interests are. It gives your business a professional, trustworthy image that is essential for success and growth. By providing a wealth of information about your business, products, services, policies and more, you can show that you take pride in the quality of your work. Show off the people behind the business, the history of how it was founded, where you can be found locally as well as online…all things that humanize your brand and build trust. A website also provides an opportunity to tell customers about new events or offers being offered by the company and keep them up-to-date on company news with press releases or blog posts.
Read on to find out more about why a website is a basic piece in your showcasing and deals methodology.
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You’ve drawn up your business plan, secured your finances, and taken the first steps toward running your own business. It’s an exciting time, but now that you’ve started, you’ve realized that being a business owner comes with a lot of expenses you haven’t anticipated. Running your social media, managing your reputation, and becoming visible online amongst millions of other businesses can be a tall order if you don’t know where to start; however, there is one critical piece of the puzzle every business owner must start out with, and that is a well-optimized, beautiful, and functional website.
Having a website built can be a costly endeavor, so is it something your business really needs to have? The answer is a resounding “yes,” not only because it is a baseline expectation for a modern business, but also because of the many benefits a website can provide.
Perhaps your business is doing well enough without a website. However, you may be missing out on some opportunities. Websites are the number one way for businesses to connect with new customers and existing ones, and lack of a website can mean lost revenue for your company. If you’re already established, having a website will help you keep track of current customers, as well as create easy-to-find resources for new ones. With an easy-to-navigate site to help them navigate the world of your business and make purchasing decisions, customers will come back again and again. It can even boost your SEO ranking when it’s put together professionally.
A website also helps you connect with your ideal customers by providing an insight into who they are and what their interests are. It gives your business a professional, trustworthy image that is essential for success and growth. By providing a wealth of information about your business, products, services, policies and more, you can show that you take pride in the quality of your work. Show off the people behind the business, the history of how it was founded, where you can be found locally as well as online…all things that humanize your brand and build trust. A website also provides an opportunity to tell customers about new events or offers being offered by the company and keep them up-to-date on company news with press releases or blog posts.
Read on to find out more about why a website is a basic piece in your showcasing and deals methodology.
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1. You can establish credibility with potential clients.
If you hand someone a business card (or even a postcard) the first thing they do is search for you online because it establishes credibility. Potential clients will take one look at your website and want to get in touch with you! As an example, if they are looking to re-design their business’ image and you have pictures of previous work on your site, they will know right away that you can help them.
In contrast, not having a website makes it seem like your business is “beta,” not yet launched, or worse, out of business entirely. If you want potential clients and customers to know you are a legitimate business, having a well-designed and optimized website is an absolute must. You should also have the website link on your business cards, postcards, and marketing materials, in addition to any social media channels or online pages you already have.
2. You can build your brand and establish a presence online.
A website is the basis of establishing your brand online and showing the world what you are capable of—and it’s something that you should have in place regardless if you want to be found by those searching for your services or products. Because of this, good web design is the foundation to having a digitally branded business, whether content marketing, social media posts, online retail storefronts, or any other digital service area that you may wish to expand into in the future.
There are a few key building blocks that any good website needs: an eye-catching and professional color scheme, a professionally designed logo, good font and text style selections, and a user-friendly and search engine friendly architecture. Our website design experts at HDG can help you determine the right branding strategy for your unique business and find a way to express your mission and vision.
3. You can leverage SEO efforts to appear in the search engines long-term.
Without a website, you would be hard-pressed to find a way to show up in the search engines at all. Google looks for your business website when parsing your Google My Business profile and other profiles online. If you don’t have a business website, it can severely hurt your chances to be found by your potential clientele.
Having your site on the first page of Google and being listed in local directories with a legitimate website basically says that you are “well known”. This means that clients will find you easily and have no trouble filling out quote & consultation requests, browsing your products, and much more. Our SEO team at Hudson Digital Group is ready and willing to team up with you to launch your business to the top of the search engines.
4. Having a website supports a word-of-mouth marketing strategy.
Business is all about reputation, and if no one knows it exists then no one will likely be calling you for business. A website is a great way to make sure your business stays relevant in the eyes of potential customers. Even if someone doesn’t browse the internet regularly, there’s a good chance that a friend or family member has visited it.
When tech-savvy customers hear about a new business, one of the first things they usually do is run a Google search. Your business website should be the first listing, and it should be optimized to point your customers to the right place for their needs. Without this option, your word-of-mouth and referral efforts may fall flat amongst a modern audience.
5. Websites are a place to test marketing efforts and optimize your conversions.
If you have a website that is designed well and optimized for your target audience, it will convert better than just about any other platform. It’s a place where your documentation, business information, and service descriptions and/or products can live. If your website doesn’t have as many bells and whistles as your competition–or worse, you have no website at all–you won’t be converting as many of your potential customers into paying customers.
Having your own business website provides the perfect platform to test your marketing materials to find out which approach works best for your target audience. It can also give you a convenient landing page for your PPC marketing, advertising, and promotions/giveaways. The possibilities are truly endless!
6. In the long run, a website can be a cost-effective digital marketing strategy.
Your organization’s site is a compelling showcasing device that is also financially savvy. Your site assists with setting up your organization as a continuous influence, imparts your central goal and vision viably, and passes on information to your audience. Whatever your line of business is, your site will assist you with producing business, increment the worth of the brand review, elevate your name to clients and customers, and spread solid advertising messages.
By drawing in new clients and holding the attention of existing ones, your site will work on your behalf long after the launch date. Contact and “request a quote” forms are reliable structures that are proven to assist you with creating leads and prospects and transform them into paying clients. Assuming you put resources into a successful web architecture, you can situate your business to arrive at a huge number of likely clients for much cheaper than the ongoing costs of traditional marketing.
7. A website is the best place to tell your company’s story.
Whether your business is a hundred years old, brand new, or anywhere in-between, people want to know what makes you special compared to other businesses they could patronize. A good website is a perfect place to tell your story to the world.
Regardless of how you describe your business, you should have a website with a vibrant and engaging design style that provides an interactive way for clients and customers to experience it in their own hands. Hiring us at HDG will help you design your site easily and make sure your story is known the way you want it told. We will also help you develop great online marketing strategies to expand on your online presence’s reach and draw in new clients.
8. Having a website supports the mobile market.
Today’s consumers demand instant service, and they want to be able to access information from anywhere, at any time. When people are out and about, this translates to spending a lot of time on phone search engines. If your business isn’t easy to find on the web through a mobile device, then you may be losing out on potential customers. An astounding 71% of users who run a search using a smartphone or tablet use Google or another search engine or an app to complete the search. If your site doesn’t come up in these searches, how will anyone know that they can come visit your place of business?
Furthermore, if your website doesn’t function or work well on mobile devices, then you’ll lose potential clients who are searching for local businesses using their smartphones and rely on that information to make their decisions. Users who visit a site that does not work on mobile may question your credibility as a legitimate business. Our website designers are experienced in creating mobile-friendly and responsive websites. We make it a priority to ensure that our sites function well from any device in any browser. Anything less is a detriment to your business and your clientele.
9. A website humanizes your business to those who have only heard your name.
Most people today don’t have time to call or email a business directly for more information about their company. Instead, they go online and start researching different businesses right away. This means that potential clients will be scouting out your website before they even know what to think of your place of business.
If your site is helpful, attractive, easy-to-navigate and gives your potential clients the information they need to make an informed choice about working with you, then that instant credibility will carry over when they finally meet you in person. If not, then the opposite may be true. Take time to develop your “about” section and make your story really personal for your desired clientele. Doing this will ensure that your potential customers develop a connection with you before you even meet face-to-face.
10. A website is the perfect way to network with fellow businesses.
A website is a great place to collect information about your business and display it for those who may be interested in doing business with you. This can include your various media assets like an image gallery, links to your blog, videos, and a list of awards or accolades you’ve received. It can also include your social media handles and contact information so that others can connect with you directly through these networks.
A website makes it easy to network with other businesses without having to commit more time than necessary. It will also reassure fellow business owners that you are legitimate when you reach out to them. Make sure to include your website link in your business signature for additional credibility. You should also include a section on your website specifically for other business owners, especially if you are a B2B company. Think of your website as your “information center” for those who may be interested in partnering with you in the future.
The bottom line? Good website = good business! Contact Hudson Digital Group today to get started on this crucial piece of your digital marketing plan. Our team is composed of experts in the fields of SEO, website design and development, branding, social media, and much more. Hiring HDG means there will be no gaps in your digital marketing strategy.
