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Why your small business need a professional website. 

I once met a small business owner and as we got talking, I decided to evangelize as usual. I am a technology enthusiast and a lover of small businesses and one who is always eager to see a business thriving, I engaged my new found friend on the need for a professional website for his business. 

It was not much of a surprise when my friend retorted that he does not need a website. His reasons being that one; his business is small, two he is doing fine with the number of customers he has. Three, he is not into this technology thing and final he came to the main reason which is “I can’t afford one”.

This wasn’t unusual as am already familiar with this lines of argument from my experience on the job. I went ahead to educate my small business owner friend on why his business needs a professional website and how urgent it is. I made him realize how he is losing huge market share and leaving so much money on the table by not being active online. 

Actually no one can live without technology in today’s digital world and the good news is that getting a professional website is not really that expensive. That is why today, I decided to x-ray some of the benefits of having a professional website for your business.

In today’s highly digitalized business environment, your website represents your business card and window to the numerous people looking online and searching for products or services you are offering. It is now a common expectation that every business should have an online presence and this expectation is increasing by the second.

As you may already be aware of, “Image is everything” and your website is mostly the initial point of contact a customer/or potential customer will have with your business, and the impression your website makes is crucial. For your website to meet the current demand, it should be polished, interactive, easy to use, translate your message and be able to convert visitors into paying customers.

You may be unaware like most business that you are missing a lot on a daily bases just because you do not have a professional website.

Am aware that some have what they call a website but it’s no more than a brick and mortar store as it can’t be found on search neither is it responsive nor interactive. It is important you know that the old ways of doing business have changed and this change is going to be for a very long time… laughs.

Most consumers are looking online for information that will help them make smarter purchasing decisions. In fact, according to the eCommerce Foundation, 88% of consumers will research product information before they make a purchase online or in the store. Actually that number should be around 95% as at today. This buying behavior trend emphasizes the importance of a website for today’s businesses.

If you really want your company to be successful in today’s marketplace, you’ve got to have a professional website that is optimized to convert visitors into customers. At Digital Skills Academy, we specialize in delivering professionally designed, responsive and interactive websites that get found on search and converts visitors into customers and the good news is that it is affordable.

You can also register to learn how to build your professional website

Your website is the main backbone of your business, supporting your entire online marketing efforts.

That a website is importance for your business is no longer debatable as we have been able to establish above. We shall only attempt to give you few reasons why you should not waste another day without having a website for your business. 

As the cornerstone of your online presence and digital marketing strategies, every type of communication, piece of content, or advertisement that you put online will drive the consumer back to your website and there you are in total control. In other words, your website is like your home where you decide where and how to entertain your visitor. 

As such, it’s important that your website gives consumers a clear idea of what your brand is about and what types of products or services you offer to enable them make quick decision immediately the land on your website because consumers’ attention span are very short.

Below, we shall now consider some reasons why your business needs a professional website to succeed in today’s highly competitive marketplace and what you need to know about getting started with a professional website for your business.

1. ENHANCE YOUR CREDIBILITY

As at June, 2019 there are over 4.5 Billion active internet users according to internetliveststs.com. Your website is the best medium to tell the world about you and your company and having one gives your business access to the billions of people searching online for products and services you offer. 

Most internet users expect businesses to have an online presence and often will only buy from businesses with a credible looking website. In today’s digitalized world, most consumers will regard a business without a website as not credible, since most credible businesses have a website.

Over 88% of consumers use the internet to research before buying products/services.
Therefore, a website is a great tool to provide useful information about your business and convince your audience that you offer the best product or service.

There are a few simple ways to increase credibility to your website:

• Regularly update your website with relevant information/contents

• Post testimonials from satisfied customers (video is the best)

• Provide visitors with a comment section and make sure you respond in a timely manner. That one of the feature of a professional website.

• Provide quick answers to potential questions. Use Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). It helps converts more visitors into customers.

A well designed, informative, responsive, interactive and updated website will add credibility to your business and strengthen your brand.

2. FIRST IMPRESSION MATTERS

Your website is often your customers’ first impression of your brand. Even if you are a brick and mortar business that depends on local foot traffic, there’s a good chance that your customers are researching your business online before they come in. That is why it’s vital that you have a professional website.

The importance of a website cannot be overstated. But if this website is unattractive or hard to navigate, then you may be turning your customers away without even knowing it. In fact, a survey from Business 2 Community shows that 94% of people stated that web design is the top reason that they mistrust or reject a website.

Professional web design should include (but is not limited to) the following elements:

Simple Navigation – It shouldn’t be hard for visitors to find what they’re looking for on your site without clicking around several times. Navigation menus should be clear and simple, helping visitors find what they’re looking for in just a few moments.

Attractive Design – Your site should be attractive, using colors and images that align with your brand while also being pleasing to the eye. A professional site has a balance between attractive design and content that’s easy to read and quick to load.

Helpful Content – The content on your site should be informative and help visitors better understand your products and services. It also needs to emphasize relevant keywords that your consumers might use to find brands like yours online.

Search Engine Optimization – Your site structure and content both need to be optimized for search engines like Google. Professional site design includes SEO services that ensure consumers can find your site online.
Fast Site Load Times – If your site doesn’t load within a few seconds, visitors may be inclined to leave. Professional website design will ensure quick load times to improve the user experience.

Easy Conversion – Your website should make it easy for visitors to convert with a quick and simple check-out process. Your shopping cart should also be easy for customers to use and come back to if they click away from your page.

If you don’t have the resources in-house to design and maintain a professional, working website, then you may need to get help from a web design agency such as Windave Technologies.

3. IT SAVES YOU MONEY ON THE LONG TERM

As a small business owner, especially one that is just starting out, you’re probably thinking you can’t afford a professional website. Most small business owner think this way but you really can’t afford NOT to. 

Although the cost of designing a website varies depending on your needs and your skill level, once it’s up and running, a professional website is worth the initial investment, especially if built using WordPress, which enables you to add and change your own content regularly, saving you money in updates. 

At Windave Technologies, we design professional, responsive and highly interactive websites at pocket friendly prices.

You can also learn how to design your professional website at Digital Skills Academy

Click here to join our Online Practical Web design Course

Click here to get a professional website for your business

Compared with the cost of traditional means of advertising, such as newspaper ads, radio commercials, promotional materials and even networking events that often include the cost of a meal or trade tables, when you consider the potential market you can reach with a professional website, it is a very cost effective way to promote your business long term.

Even if your skill levels are slim to none and you need to continually pay your website designer/developer to maintain and update your website for you, the upkeep costs are still lower than ongoing traditional marketing, and the investment is certainly worth the number of potential customers that will find your business online each year. At Windave Technologies, we also train small business owners on how to create their websites within 72hrs.

Click here to learn how you can create your professional website today!

When it comes to comparing the cost of a professional website with a freebie Do It Yourself (D.I.Y) website, unless you are fairly skilled, your website will cost you in time and effort that could be better spent elsewhere in your business. 

Not only that, but if it’s not professional, or can’t be found in a Google search, you will lose customers and that will also cost you dearly. Therefore it is better to hand it over to a professional designer if you are not skilled to handle it.

Saving money is definitely a great reason why your business needs a professional website designer like Windave Technologies, but there are several more reasons.

4. DRIVES YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING EFFORTS

Though you use third-party social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Linkdin, Youtube etc. to reach and engage with consumers, you must have a place to send consumers to when they want to know more about your business. 

Many small business owners ignorantly believe that having a social media presence is enough to drive their online engagements but miss out on thousands of customers who search online for products and services they offer and even when they get found on social media, there are usually huge information gap which leads to the prospects bouncing out and at the end, huge revenues are lost.

Your website serves as that “home base” where you can send customers/ prospects when they want to make a purchase or learn more about a particular product or service you offer.

Think about your website as your home where you have the liberty to entertain your guest (prospect) as you desire and afterwards, you can even allow him use the guest room unlike a fast food restaurant (social media) where you can only serve your guest what is in the menu.

5. KEEP YOUR CUSTOMERS INFORMED

In its most basic form, think of a website as being an online brochure or catalogue that can be updated at any time. It is much easier and quicker to update information about your products and services on your website than it is in a print brochure or catalogue and the beautiful part is that with little training, you can do it yourself.

According to designworks.com, a website is an effective way of introducing your customers to new services, letting them know about new products, announcing upcoming events and special promotions. You can also provide added value by posting tips, resources and other information through a blog on your website. 

Unlike print ads, newspaper articles and flyers, which quickly become outdated, your website can provide current information and news. And if you discover a mistake after you publish a page or post, you can easily fix/edit it.

A website can be so much more than just an online brochure or catalogue though. Now we have YouTube videos, Podcasts, Webinars, eBooks and other online media to showcase our skills, expertise and products, provide online classes, courses and workshops. Not to mention social media integration which enables you to share information on your website across numerous other channels and reach an even wider audience.

“a website is an effective way of introducing your customers to new services, letting them know about new products, announcing upcoming events and special promotions. You can also provide added value by posting tips, resources and other information through a blog on your website” – designworks.com

Click here to get a professional website for your business

6. CONTENT MARKETING

The importance of a website for content marketing is also very significant. Your content needs a place to live; a home. Whether its blog posts or product descriptions, you need a place to display that information so that prospective customers can find it for quick decision. 

Your website is the perfect place to house all of the great content your business creates to inform and engage your target audience – just like the content you’re reading right now that’s providing you with more information. Of course, it is sitting on a website.

Many business owners who do not have a professional website are missing out on one area that is huge on driving traffic and increasing revenue. That’s right… content. As an expert in your field of business, you can provide useful contents to guide and help prospects make informed decision and they will love you for this. In return, they will provide you huge traffic which will in no time translate to huge revenue

7. A WEBSITE SAVES YOU TIME

Recently a prospect who saw one of our organic advert called me and was so excited about building his website. Well, you may be wondering is there anything called “organic advert”? Never mind, it is my invention and it simply means carefully crafted advert embedded in a relevant content. 

I engaged this prospect and as usual took time to give him all the necessary details about what is required and what he will benefit from the kind of websites we deliver and he was quite impressed and glad. He promised to make consultation with his wife and get back so we can begin the project. 

When we did not get his call at the promised time, I called to check up on him and like some small business owners, his focus was on cost rather than value and I hope he doesn’t end up with a website that will waste his resources and time.

Most people these days don’t have enough time for leisure, pleasure, family or healthy activities and getting a poorly designed website will not only waste your resources but it will eat into your scarce time. Most time the website has to be redesigned. That means paying twice for the same service. 

Having a professionally designed website from a professional designer/developer saves you time both in the short and long term.

Also, by providing information to your customers online, you can save a vast amount of valuable time that you would otherwise spend communicating to your prospects.

Talking to customers on the phone, in messenger or emails, face-to-face at meetings, networking events or trade shows, it all takes time. Creating flyers, brochures and other promotional material takes time – time to plan, research, communicate to your designer, printer and so on. 

Not to mention the time needed to distribute your marketing material. Also, if you are involved in training, communicating the same information to different audience takes time and energy.

With a website, you can save time by providing information about your products and services in various online formats—graphics, video, ebooks, flip books— or as text right on the page—no distribution required. Once your website is up and running, it is available to your customers indefinitely, saving you time having to communicate the same message over and over again to different people.

8. AVAILABLE 24/7

Having a website allows customers/prospects to engage with you 24/7. They either make a purchase or simply look up information about their intended. This gives them control, which is what every consumer cherishes rather you being in charge and opening your store/shop when you are available. 

Your website is a sales machine, always open and working on your behalf even if you’ve been tucked up in bed. If you’re a coach and out with clients all day, then your website can be hard at work telling new potential customers what you do. 

If you sell handmade shoes, you could be busy on the school run while your website takes orders for you. No matter the size of your business having a website will ensure you never miss opportunities to promote to potential customers.

Do you need an e-commerce store/shop, click here

9. EMAIL MARKETING & PAID ADVERTISING

Your website also plays an important role in your email marketing. If you are using email marketing to reach and engage your customers, then you need somewhere to send them to for conversion. 

Your website is the perfect place to guide your email subscribers to when you want them to learn more about a product/service or even make a purchase. You could do this in your daily/weekly/monthly newsletter.

Each week, we send our subscribers more information on our services so they can learn more about what we do. They do this by clicking the links to our website.

Your PPC ads also need a place to lead consumers to. PPC advertising is a great way to reach more of the consumers who are most likely to be interested in your products. 

But you need to have a website that you can lead these consumers to when they click on your PPC ad. Whether it’s a tailored landing page or a specific product page, the ad has to have a destination on your website.

Your ad can also have multiple destinations to provide even more information and cover more areas for what the user might be looking for when they type in their search. The ultimate goal of your website is to answer all user questions with the information you provide.

10. A WEBSITE GIVES YOU ACCESS TO THE WHOLE WORLD

Websites are accessible from anywhere in the world provided there is an internet connection. Since more and more people have access to the internet, even in remote locations, you can target a much wider audience if your business has a website.

Whether you offer products or services, or you’re business or consumer based, your website provides you with an alternative location to sell. As a retailer, an eCommerce website is a great place to sell your products to a wider market. Think of all the people who can’t get to your bricks and mortar store that you could sell your products to.

Even service-based businesses can offer their services globally through a website. Now that we have so many affordable ways to communicate with people, we can do business with anyone, anywhere, any time. A website makes it so much easier to attract clients from a global market

11. YOUR WEBSITE DRIVES SALES

For reading to the end, we have a bonus point for you.

Sales are vital to every business. It’s the only way that you can keep your company up and running. And improving sales is the best way to improve the health and success of your business. The importance of a website for sales cannot be overstated.

By having an online presence through your website, you are able to reach more consumers. The more consumers you reach online, the more opportunities you have to make a sale. Developing a website doesn’t automatically bring paying customers to your business. 

However, through search engine optimization of your website, you can improve your chances of bringing in more qualified leads who are more likely to make a purchase.

Not only does a website help you increase your sales opportunities, but it also increases your availability to make sales. With a website, you can sell your products and services around-the-clock. You don’t have to be actively engaging with leads on a constant basis because they are able to get the information they need from your site.

Additionally, your website offers another channel for sales. In addition to selling your products and services online, you can provide consumers with the information they need to make an informed purchasing decision. 

Effectively, the content that’s on your site serves as an additional sales person, helping customers get the information they need and convincing them of the benefits of your products or services.

How to Get Started with a Website for Your Business

The importance of a website for your business success is clear. Without a website, you cannot reach and engage your target customers online. Even if you have a brick and mortar business that serves mostly local customers, your business can still benefit from a website.

In fact, we’d venture to say that if you want to do business in today’s modern marketplace, you need to have a website. But where do you start?

Getting started with a professional website for your business doesn’t have to be hard. There are a variety of website building services that you can use to design your own attractive website in just a few hours. 

Drag and drop website building services like SquareSpace and Wix are easy to use and affordable. If you have some web design knowledge, you can also use WordPress, which is free to get started.

However, if you are serious about launching a professional website and optimizing your site for the search engines, then you may want to work with a professional web design agency. Though working with web design professionals does require an up-front investment, you will find that the money you spend on professional web design services is well worth it.

For one, a web design agency knows what it takes to design a site that offers a positive user experience. They can create clean and simple navigation that makes it easy for your site visitors to find the content they are looking for. And even easier for them to make a purchase once they’ve found what they need.

A web design agency can also create web page content that is optimized for the search engines. SEO website content will make it easy for your target consumers to find you when they look for relevant topics and products on search engines like Google.

If you need help designing an attractive website that’s optimized for the search engines and easy to navigate, it’s time to call in the experts. Our web design team at Windave Technologies provides WordPress web design services to help brands like yours reach new audiences online. To find out more about our web design services or to learn more about the importance of a website, contact us today.

You can also learn how to create your own professional website; No coding, No techie, No experience. Click here to get started

Click here to get a professional website