Why is having a Website Important?

A survey of small to medium business (SMBs) from February in 2016 shows 54 percent have a website, and 46% do not. Here are more statistics:

Graph, percent of small businesses with websites

The survey respondents were business with 1-10 employees and less than $1 million in annual revenue.

So why have a website? TO BE FOUND!

Websites also verify a business’s existence. They increase credibility, and relay the most up-to-date accurate information (when the websites are maintained, of course). Millions of customers are searching the Internet every day to find products and services. Don’t you want to be one of those companies they find?

The reasons SMBs do not have websites are usually because the companies feel a website is not relevant to their business/industry; and/or the cost of a website. Other companies also use the power of social media as an online presence.

Graph, reasons small businesses don't have a website

People who want to update their kitchen, work on their car themselves, buy unusual gifts for their loved ones …. they  are all searching the Internet on the how to’s and where to finds for their particular venture. Regardless of your industry or services, a website will always work for you 24/7/365.

Using social media WITH a website is a wise choice. Using ONLY social media is a start but not the finish. Having your own website gives YOU the control. With social media, you rent their space. They have all the control. You have to follow their rules. With your own website, it’s all about you and your company. If you sell physical product, having your own website is also a better avenue. You don’t have to split sales with the social media platform.

Your website is the rim cap of your marketing (think car wheel). Social medial platforms are the spokes that come out from the cap. You use all the spokes to drive leads to your cap!

Owning your own website also gives you phenomenal analytics. Wouldn’t it be nice to know if your target audience prefers using their mobile phones rather than their tablets to view your merchandise? That’s just the tip of the ice berg! Social media offers analytics, but nowhere near as robust as owning your own website.

These are just a few thoughts as we enter 2017 … let’s make it a great one!