All business owners need a well-designed, lead capturing website for their business.

Why? Because without it how are you going to sell your products or services locally, nationally or internationally? Social media can only go so far and without a website that shows you are reputable business, customers may not trust your business as much as one that has a website.

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Consumer behaviours have changed and they adapt quickly online with modern websites and ecommerce sites. More than 97% of people research your brand online and are looking to find a local business that is reputable, has a strong digital presence and perhaps a physical location (even when your business is only online) they want to be able to contact you. 

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In this blog we cover the following

• Seven non-negotiable reasons why you need a small business website
• Common website objections debunked
• How much a website may cost
• How to get a professional website for your business

1. Why have a small business website?

This is not dedicated to one industry; the following insights are from Deloittes that are relative to small businesses with a high digital engagement (websites) common across all sectors:

• Earned two times as much revenue, per employee
• Experienced revenue growth over the previous year, that was nearly four times as high
• Were almost three times as likely to be creating jobs, over the previous year
• Had an average employment growth rate that was more than six times as high
• Were also three times as likely to have exported products over the previous year

Advanced marketing starts with a website. Below are more reasons for having an optimised, yet accessible website for your small business.

2. One third of consumers will not consider a business if it does not have a website

Your Small business website is the number one marketing asset of your company. Consumers expect a business to have a presence at online, and they consider getting a service from a reputable company.

3. Most people search for your small business online

Small businesses can take advantage of being at the place where consumers are. An optimised website with bespoke SEO strategy can help consumers find you as they begin searching on Google.

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At this very second, there are approximately 3.5 billion searches happening on Google  

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4. Consumers use a small business website to engage with your brand

Many consumers are looking for a website to engage with the relevant company. There is proven research that says a consumer tends to want to know three aspects of your business before purchasing. So automatically, if a person is cannot find the relevant web page that answers their questions in their first interaction, they usually strike off your business for good.

5. Website content influences commercial transactions

A website can impact the user journey and even the buying decision. Many consumers have been known to finalise their purchase based on the digital content of the site.

The average business to business (B2B) buyer will conduct an average of 12 online searches before they interact with a vendor’s website. And before these B2B buyers want to talk to the sales team, they might have gone through the buying process already. These type of customers expect the website to be a helpful and resourceful digital site.

6. Consumers make decisions based on the design of your website

Most consumers decide on the business credibility through their website design. People like to deal with a trusted company, and a website is their first impression of your business. Its where they may view credentials and customer reviews.

If you have an unorganised website, you may lose out on customers. Your business has less than ten seconds to make an impression online and a well designed and functional website is the way to go.

7. Diminishing social media reach

Although you may have a Facebook page for your business, there is a low organic reach; don’t only use social media to grow your business or bank your marketing efforts purely on this now or even in the future.

Common objections to having a small business website

Below are some of the most common objections (excuses) for not having a website:

My Business is small and I just don’t have the budget for a website

A website is your number one marketing asset. If you say that you don't have a budget, it means you don't really want your business to succeed. You will face big problem if you didn't want to invest in a website. A website doesn’t have to be fancy. To be found on Google you need a website so that you can list your company on search.

I get enough business, so don't need one

Even you have enough businesses; you still need a website to gain more customers over the long run. It can create a way for people to look you up online quickly. If a customer needs to know the hours you work, or how to contract you, how will they do it without a small business website to answer fundamental questions that people want to know. For example if you are a restaurant you can add a widget to book a reservation and save you and your customers time calling or sending an email. A website can give you the chance to build an online community as well.

I know someone who can make me a website for free
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Great! Does that person have industry experience? Do they understand how to optimise your website for SEO, schema mark up, responsive designs, etc.

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If the site hasn't built correctly, it can be fall apart quickly. For example, we had a small business owner contact recently who had a website build for them but we couldn’t actually find it on Google at all. Sometimes you need to make the investment to save you time and get you leads.

Our customers don’t use computers

Seriously? Computer users are no excuse for not having a website, and users don't only use desktop computers. Customers use mobile devices. Remember, everyone owns a smartphone these days. A small business website that is optimised for all devices will be the best investment for your business.

My industry doesn't need a website

This is a big misconception that many small business owners who aren’t in e-commerce. You may not be on eCommerce business, but it doesn't mean you do not need a website. Business to business and people who want to hire a service still need a way to find you, trust your business and learn how they can work with you.

How much does a small business Website cost?

It depends on what features you want and whether you want other services included? A complete custom designed website may cost more as it is they professionally designed and optimised for your business. We can even provide a website and services over 12 months for a monthly fee - where we optimise the site on an ongoing basis.

A website is an investment that can last 4-5 years so when you think of the price over that long term it’s worth it. Plus it takes 4-6 weeks to design and build a website that is right for your business, to attract customers that want to buy from you.

The website price is a lower price than being left behind the competition

When a small business has a website, they will naturally gain a significant percentage of business than one without a site. Why not beat the competition with a Caria Watt website? Don’t let anyone tell you that a website is not needed for your small business. If you need help contact us - we have a wide range for every budget and we are happy to walk through your needs.