Table of contents
Why have a website?
Why have a website?
1. It is a digital business card
2. Gain visibility in search engine results
3. Consumers search based on proximity
4. A website helps you build credibility
5. SEO is a profitable marketing strategy
6. Google ranks local businesses better when users are using mobile devices
7. Your website remains open 24 hours a day
8. Your competitors are probably already on the internet
9. Help your business grow
10. Improve your company's brand image
Common objections when creating your website
How much does it cost to make a website?
Here's what the cost of a website entails:
Tips for creating a website for your business
1. Make sure it is optimized for mobile devices
2. Make sure it looks professional
3. Hire a good hosting
4. Include your name, address and phone number
5. Insert social media information
Transform your business with DIGIOFI
Why have a website?
There’s no doubt about it. To compete in today’s super-competitive marketplace, you need to have a website and a strong online presence. We’re not just talking about a social media profile. You need a list of armenia whatsapp phone numbers well-thought-out, optimized marketing strategy that includes web, social, and mobile components. Why? Because this is where your potential customers are looking for you. In fact, the average shopper will consult 10.4 sources before making a purchase. And for the first time, digital ad spend has surpassed traditional marketing efforts.
If you have a local business, regardless of your geographic area, you'd better think about web, social media, and mobile. The first, and perhaps most essential, component of this strategy is your company's website.
Think you can survive another year without a website? Think again. Thirty percent of consumers wouldn’t consider a business without a website. Consumers expect local businesses, regardless of size, to have an online presence. But not just any online presence. In fact, nearly 9 in 10 consumers are less likely to return to a site after a bad experience.
So why do you need a website and how can you be sure that you will convert those visitors into buyers? Here are 10 essential reasons why you should strengthen your online presence with a mobile-friendly website.
1. It is a digital business card
People spend, on average, 23.6 hours browsing the internet every week and almost 5 hours every workday on their mobile devices. So, if you want to be discovered where people spend their time, it's essential to have accurate information about your business 100% accessible in that space.
A website acts as a digital business card for a company: people can refer to it again and again for contact information, employee names, services offered, and more.
2. Gain visibility in search engine results
People browse the Internet to discover companies they can do business with; and more specifically, they consult search engines. 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine; and nearly half of these searches are for local businesses.
Therefore, you need to have a search-optimized business website that can rank well in search engine results. This will ensure that consumers can find your business and connect with you.
3. Consumers search based on proximity
It's important to have a website that's optimized to appear in search results, especially since studies have shown that people tend to use their computers or mobile devices to search for things that are close to them. In fact, 4 out of 5 consumers use search engines to get local information.
These searches aren't just about browsing the web, either. 88% of local business searchers on a mobile device call or visit the business within 24 hours. Having a website allows potential customers searching for a business to discover your business and get in touch with you.
4. A website helps you build credibility
When it comes to convincing consumers to buy, first impressions matter. Fifty-seven percent of people won't recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile site. It's true, consumers make judgments about your business based on the look and feel of your website.
Having a professionally designed, comprehensive, and user-friendly website can help you more easily convey to potential customers that you are a trustworthy organization, a company that is okay to do business with.
5. SEO is a profitable marketing strategy
Let’s face it: every business wants to make the most of their budget and get the most benefits for the least amount of investment. When it comes to marketing, having a search-optimized website can be one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies.
“Good SEO is not cheap, but bad SEO is very expensive”
Thinking about tackling SEO yourself? We wouldn't recommend it – after all, you have a business to run. But there are some basic tactics you can adopt to rank and get discovered through search.
6. Google ranks local businesses better when users are using mobile devices
Google assumes that a user searching on their mobile phone is likely on the move and, in turn, looking for a business nearby. Therefore, the search engine favors local businesses when people search on mobile.
Having a mobile-optimized business website gives you the opportunity to take advantage of Google’s preferential treatment and appear higher on the results page or in the Local Pack. This increases the chances of consumers discovering your business the moment they search for it, and means they’re more likely to get in touch with you.
7. Your website remains open 24 hours a day
Unlike your business, which likely doesn’t operate or communicate with customers outside of business hours, your website remains open 24/7. This means that even when your staff isn’t available to interact with people looking to do business with you, your website is accessible and can provide helpful information, serve as a point of contact, or even allow customers to make purchases or submit orders.
8. Your competitors are probably already on the internet
While 36 percent of small businesses don't have their own website, 64 percent of them do. This means that most small businesses have an online presence, and your competitors likely have a website that appeals to people in your area.
If you want to remain relevant and competitive within your market segment, it's important for your company to have an online presence - not only does it help you stay competitive, but it also helps cement your role as a forward-thinking, tech-savvy company.
9. Help your business grow
If you hope to expand your business and attract new customers, having a website is an important strategy. Small businesses that have launched a website report that they are satisfied with its success. Surveys of small business websites show that 81 percent of businesses that launched websites saw their business grow, and 97 percent of those small business owners would recommend having a website to other similar business owners.
10. Improve your company's brand image
A website is a great place to promote your brand, using graphic elements, vocabulary and more specific topics. It is the ideal forum for you to shape the tone and image of your company.
Social media sites (like Facebook) and directories, on the other hand, allow your company's image to be given through input from the public; this can be helpful, but it doesn't always portray the image you'd prefer to see. By creating and managing your own company site and content, you can tailor your business's image.
Common objections when creating your website
OBJECTION #1:
“My business is too small and I don’t have the budget to make a website.”
This is the most common objection we hear from small business owners.
Look, your website is your number one marketing asset. Saying you don't have the budget for it is like saying you don't have the budget to buy raw materials; you're going to get into big trouble down the road if you don't shell out this initial investment.
To have a website, it doesn't have to be 100% custom designed and therefore expensive; it must exist and be able to be found by search engines.
OBJECTION # 2:
“I have a nephew who said he could make me a website for free.”
This is a bad idea unless your nephew's career is in web design. Having a friend or family member build your website is like trusting a handyman to lay the foundation for a skyscraper. A lot goes into having an optimized website (SEO optimization, file compression, responsive design, schema markup, etc.) and if it's not built on the proper foundation, it's likely to collapse.
Even if you have a professional web designer as a friend, be careful; different industries have different website design standards. For example, a website for healthcare services will have completely different components and elements than a website for the real estate industry.
OBJECTION # 3:
“Our customers are not heavy computer users.”
Your customers aren’t “computer users”? That’s nonsense. What this business owner is forgetting is that “computer users” aren’t just people who use desktop computers. It also includes people who browse websites, social media, and apps on mobile devices.
Not only do 78 percent of adults in North and South America use the Internet, but 67 percent of them own a smartphone, and it was in 2016 that mobile web traffic surpassed desktop web traffic for the first time.
Smartphone = computer user.
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How much does it cost to make a website?
A website can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to over 100 thousand.
For example, if you choose to do a DIY type of job (although we don’t recommend it…) with a platform like WIX, you’ll pay a low monthly fee to rent a spot on their platform without having any advertising. On the other end of the spectrum is a completely custom website from a professional website design company tailored to your business needs.
Don't let a price tag stop you from creating a website. If you're a solopreneur with a budget close to zero, at least get a basic website that you can upgrade later when you have better cash flow.
Here's what the cost of a website entails:
Hosting: This is the company's service that provides space on the Internet for the website. You can host your WordPress website with us ; if you have other platforms, we recommend SiteGround . Hosting is charged monthly (or annualized preferred value) and usually costs from $7.00USD
Domain name: This is displayed as www.yourcompany.com and is usually an annual fee. On average, it costs $14.99 per year.
Design: Some designs are free, but usually, good design costs money and the more customized your website is, the more expensive it will be.
Add-ons and extensions – The more add-ons and features you want, the more expensive a website becomes.
Check out our article where we talk about THE BEST WEBSITE PLATFORMS
Transform your business with DIGIOFI
Are you ready to grow your business? At DIGIOFI, we are digital marketing experts and we are here to help you achieve your goals. From SEO strategies to social media advertising campaigns, we have everything you need to stand out in the digital world.
Request our services
Tips for creating a website for your business
So, by now, you might be convinced of the importance of having a website for your business. But how do you go about designing one? Below are some tips to keep in mind while creating your business site to ensure it works well, looks good, and helps generate the business you want.
1. Make sure it is optimized for mobile devices
Mobile is the preferred device for most online activities. In fact, 60% of Google searches are done from a smartphone and that is why Google decided to penalize websites if they are not mobile-friendly.
It is very important to make sure that your website is optimized for smartphones and tablets.
2. Make sure it looks professional
As mentioned above, website design can make or break credibility. Therefore, it is important that your website design looks professional to give potential customers confidence. Consider hiring a professional designer to develop the site; the one-time investment can pay off in the long run.
3. Hire a good hosting
Make sure you use a good hosting provider to host your website. A good web hosting provider is important because it allows your website to load quickly. Fast loading times are important; 53% of people say they will leave a site if that site does not load in three seconds or less on their mobile device. Even more importantly, slow loading times will negatively affect your SEO rankings.
4. Include your name, address and phone number
One of the main goals of your website is to encourage potential customers to get in touch with your business. Did you know that over 70 percent of local businesses don’t have a clear call to action on their website and 27% don’t even have a phone number on the homepage? To ensure they can easily get in touch, it’s important to make your contact information (name, address, and phone number) very easy to find on your site.
Make it as easy as possible for people who visit you to get in touch with you.
5. Insert social media information
On your website, include feeds from your social media pages – your Facebook posts, Tweets, Instagram photos, and more. You’ll also want to include links and follow buttons from your social media so visitors can share the engaging and informative pages you now have on your website.
Your website can help you increase your social media presence and gain more followers, who can ultimately become customers.
If you own a local business, it’s critical that you have a solid online, social and mobile marketing strategy. And the best place to start, or even update, is with your website. With an optimized and well-designed site, you can reach new audiences of potential customers who, beyond becoming your buyers, can also become loyal ambassadors for your brand.
At DIGIOFI we are ready to take your company to a new level, contact us , and let's make your website a powerful branding and sales tool for your brand.
