Business

Does Your Business Really Need a Website?

“Does my business really need a website?” Although we are in the digital age, you may be surprised at the number of small businesses owners that ponder this question. To put it simply, some business owners think they don’t need a website to compete in 2019. As an online marketer working for a web design agency, it still surprises me how many business owners tell me that they don’t think a website will benefit their company.

All across North America, small business owners are forgoing a business website for a number of reasons: they think their customers aren’t web users, they are not an ecommerce business so they don’t think they need a website, they are busy enough and don’t need to advertise themselves, and so on and so on.

Not having a website is a huge missed opportunity for companies because consumers have largely adapted to, and embraced, the digital world. However, many surveys done in recent years have found that around 42 – 46% of small businesses don’t have a website. The bottom line is that a professional business website will benefit your business, and here’s why:

Everyone is on the Internet Looking for a Company like Yours

On average, there are over 3.5 billion searches done on Google every day – yes, that’s just on Google. In case you were wondering if people have moved on from the phone book, well, you can stop now. As of 2016, over 80% of adults in the United States and Canada are internet users. Thanks to the rise of mobile devices (a mobile user is a computer user!), this number has steadily grown over the last six to eight years.

A large chunk of the searches done on Google are for services and/or products that consumers are looking for to improve their lives. More specifically, many internet users are looking for businesses around them. At any point of the day, an internet user can be plugging in keywords to a search engine that are relevant to you and your business. Without a website, that user will not discover your company. Instead, they will find your competitor’s website.

Consumers won’t Consider a Business that doesn’t have a Website

A website is a great tool for showcasing what your company is all about. It’s a great opportunity to offer a transparent look into what your company does and how your products and/or services can benefit the average consumer.

Without a detailed look into a company, many consumers will simply disregard the said company. A Verisign survey done in 2015 found that 84% of respondents believe that a business with a website is credible. We are at the point where people think it is unprofessional to NOT have a website because, in 2019, a good website gives your company legitimacy. As I mentioned before, the majority of people are on the internet, and many of those people want an easy way to find products and services. Suffice it to say, internet users expect businesses to have a website. You can check for business website design and work on it accordingly.

A Business Website is a Great Sales Tool

A business website can serve many integral purposes. Specifically, good websites answer these questions: What does this company sell? Does this company have what I am looking for? There are other questions that a website has to answer (i.e. Where are they located?), but these two are the most important.

When you consider that 63% of internet users use a company’s website to find and engage with businesses, good website content is essential. Furthermore, 75% of B2B buyers have said that the content on a website has a significant impact on purchasing decisions. By providing useful information in an engaging way, a business can answer the important questions and engage a web user. An engaged user that is interested in a business will convert into a customer, which means that the user will contact the company or purchase a product directly on the website.

If you are in the group of companies without a website, then consider this: more than half of businesses in North America have a website. If some of these companies are your competitors, they are more visible to your potential customers than you are. Having a business website in 2019 is non-negotiable because the overwhelming majority of people are online.

The team of web designers at Gilmedia is available to get your company online. Get in touch with us today and let’s talk about designing a website for your company that looks great, attracts visitors and gets conversions.

Shares: