By Jim Clanin
In today’s connected world, having a website for your business is seen as a must. However, there are still thousands of small businesses around the nation that haven’t taken this important step in building their online presence. Here are some of the main reasons why every business, no matter how small, can benefit from having its own website:
Consumers Like to Research Online Before Buying
Even if they intend to complete their purchase at a local store instead of buying online, shoppers are increasingly using the Internet to research and plan their purchases. A study published by AdWeek shows that 81 percent of shoppers conduct at least basic research online before making a purchase decision.
By having a business website, you can capture the attention of these shoppers by showing them that your business exists and is ready to offer them the products or services they’re looking for.
Getting Your Very Own Website is Now More Affordable Than Ever
The costs of hiring a web designer to create a custom-made website for your business have gone down significantly in the last couple of years. There are now many web design firms providing quality website creation services aimed specifically at small businesses with limited budgets.
The costs of operating a website after it has been created are also very low. In fact, you can find simple web hosting services that let you keep your site online for just a few dollars per month. With prices so low, there is simply no excuse anymore for why your small business doesn’t have a website.
A Website Is Useful at Keeping Existing Customers Loyal
Repeat customers are a major source of sales for many small businesses. By having a more comprehensive online presence, you can ensure the loyalty of your existing customers. You can use your website to showcase your latest products, promotions and special offers, showing these customers why it’s better to keep doing business with you than going to the competition.
Modern platforms like WordPress make it very easy to update your website whenever you need to add new information or make changes of any kind. This allows you to maintain your website yourself without requiring much in terms of technical knowledge.
Your Business Can Now Provide Superior Customer Service
The purpose of a business website isn’t just to make it easier for a company to promote its products and services. A business can also use it to convey very useful information about your products or services to both potential and existing customers.
For example, your new site can include elements like:
- A FAQ section answering common questions about products or services you offer.
- Care and maintenance information related to your products.
- Instructions to help your customers use your products.
- Details about warranties and your company’s return/exchange policies.
All of this can greatly increase customer satisfaction, making it more likely that your customers will buy from you again in the future and talk positively about your business, both online and offline.
