If you are a small business owner then you must have your own website. Research shows that many small businesses are not utilizing the benefits of the internet. Building a website is essential for connecting with your customers and establishing yourself as a respectable business. Below some of the reasons why having your own website are so important are highlighted.

1. Saves Time and Money

While you may not want to spend money on hiring a web designer or time on building your own website, having your own website will save you time and money in the long run. Yes, it costs money to hire a web designer to build your website, but it also costs money to print brochures, coupons, and ads, all costs you can avoid with a personal website. Once you have built your own website, you can update it at any time with new products, sales, or other information you might have for customers. Having your own website will save you time because you can quickly produce information to a mass of people.

 

2. Professionalism and Trustworthiness

Free DIY websites may be appealing. However, they are time-consuming and do not offer the professionalism that owning your own domain space gives you. You want your web presence to be professional so that you build trust with your consumers. Since many businesses have an online presence, your lack of online presence might cause people to purchase similar products elsewhere. Having a website establishes legitimacy for your company and will give you an edge against your competition. Since many online users might not know your brand or your story, it’s important that your website conveys that you are serious about your business. Once you build your own website you will be able to establish a professional business email that is specific to your business. This will help you further build your reputation and demonstrate your professionalism.

 

3. Inform Your Customers

The best way to inform your customers is through the web. You can update your website instantaneously about new deals and promotions. Updating information on your website is easier and cheaper than buying radio time or newspaper space. You want to show that you’re an expert in your own industry and product. You can do this by putting digital content on your website. Informing your customers about your product or service will give your customers a reason to visit your site and help you advertise your brand.

 

4. Accessibility

With a website, your company is open 24/7. Some consumers like to research products in the middle of the night or early in the morning. If you have a website, information about your product will be available to your customers at any time of day. In some instances, customers can even purchase products from your website, meaning you could be asleep and still be making sales. Give your customers the ability to access your website whenever they want. Give them the convenience of leaving a review whenever they want. Give them the option to purchase your product whenever they want and wherever they are.

 

5. Improve Customer Service

On your website, you should include customer reviews and an FAQ page. Having good customer support will help your most loyal customer feel appreciated. With a website, you’re able to communicate with your customers from anywhere at any time. The FAQ page will answer common questions that your customers have. A review page will further help them understand your product. People trust reviews to help them with their purchasing decisions. With your own website, you can be there for your customers without physically being there for them.

 

6. Targeting Customers

One of the most important reasons you should have a website is that it’s where your customers are. Your clients are online and more importantly, they expect you to be online too. Most people search online for solutions to their problems and if your product doesn’t show up in the search results, they will never know about it. Having a website will allow you to have all your social media handles in one place. 81% of consumers research products online before purchasing. Your online presence will also help you target a larger audience and allow you to market your brand globally.

 

7. Show Casing Your Work

As a small business, it is important for you to showcase your work. You want your clients to know what you can do. You can do this by posting a portfolio on your website or customer testimonial videos. Customer testimonial videos will allow your previous customers to vouch for the quality of your product or service. A portfolio of your work, which might consist of photos and videos, will provide evidence of your skills. While some small businesses find it easier to display their portfolios through social media, a website gives you more control over how it’s posted, who can access it, and the quality of the photo or video.

 

8. Owning Your Space

While social media may be an easier way to gain an online presence, a website gives you the opportunity to claim your own space on the web. Anything you post on your website is yours, which means you can choose what your customers see and how they interact with the interface. When you post your content to social media sites such as Facebook they own the rights to your content. Therefore, social media apps could take your content down or you could even possibly lose all the content you posted without them even notifying you. Not to mention social media won’t be able to display your brand the way a personal website could.

There are many advantages that having a company website will bring you. However, it’s hard to compete in any industry without an online presence.

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