Does My Business Need A Website?
I started this blog post wanting to discuss why every business needs a blog. Then, I realized, I needed to step back to establish why every business needs a website. Because… you can’t have a blog without a website.
Alright. Let’s establish why you should have a website. And by you, I mean you as an individual, you as a solopreneur, you as a side hustler, you as a small business owner, you as a consultant or freelancer, YOU. Literally. Everyone should have a website.
So Many Businesses Don’t
Approximately 36% of entrepreneurs and small businesses do NOT have a website. There are 582 million entrepreneurs in the world. That means 209.5 million businesses don’t have a website. You can’t look them up, vet them, learn more about them, contact them, refer them, or patronize them through a website. They’re relying primarily on word of mouth and social media. That is huge!
“They” Say It’s Because
There are a number of reasons business owners don’t have a website. And yep, you guessed it. We’re going to go through each and every one.
They think it’s not relevant to their industry. I’m not even sure what this means. We live in the digital/Internet age. We look for a website for absolutely everything. Perhaps businesses in these seemingly irrelevant industries are thinking because they have no physical or tangible product to sell, a website would be useless. Well, that’s simply not true. While being able to sell your product or service through your website is the ultimate goal, being able to just provide information about you and your business is the whole point of a website, regardless of the industry.
They think it’s too expensive. This is probably the biggest reason for millennial entrepreneurs. I see it discussed on Twitter all of the time. Websites can be expensive. For sure. Depending on how much you want it to offer your visitors. But just a simple, straightforward website that you build yourself can cost you as little as $25 per month with Squarespace. That’s it. Depending on your price point, if you sell just a few products a month you’ve already offset the cost of your website! If you opt to hire a web designer or web developer, you can spend as little as a few hundred or as much as a few thousand. But generally, almost a third of business owners spent less than $500 for their website!
They believe social media is a sufficient alternative to having a website. This goes along with the reason above. I recently saw a Twitter thread where someone expressed their frustration in finding a business on Instagram or Twitter, wanting to purchase, and then having to “DM” to order. Hundreds of people chimed in agreeing that they’re immediately turned off by that. I was one of them. We, as sellers and providers, want to make purchasing as easy as possible for our customers. This means giving them fewer steps to follow, not more. They should be able to do everything in just a few clicks and all on the same platform. Social media is great for promoting products and reaching new prospects. But a website will convert and retain those customers.
They think their business is too small to have a website. I can understand this. When I first started, I only had digital wall prints to offer. It seemed almost silly to have a whole website for them. But it wasn’t. I knew that I would eventually add to the products I offered. It seemed better to start the website now than try later when I had dozens or hundreds of products. I also knew that I wanted to present myself as a polished and credible business owner from the very beginning, whether I had 1 product to sell or 500.
They require too much time to update. A lot of entrepreneurs and small business owners these days are doing other things. When it comes to their business, their plate is full with simply producing and marketing the product. To then have to regularly change products or update the website can feel overwhelming. If you decide to do it yourself, it just might be overwhelming at first. But then, you’ll get better at it, which means you’ll get quicker at it. You’ll develop a schedule for updating or maybe even outsource it. It will become a small routine task - one that your customers will greatly appreciate.
Why They Should
Okay. If you didn’t already gather from my rebuttal of the many reasons listed above, I have even more reasons why your side hustle or business needs a website. They include:
Increases reach and visibility. Its easier to be found by prospective customers or clients if you have a website. That’s because, yep you know it, you show up in search engines. Approximately 70% of shopping searches happen on Google, Bing, and other search engines, as opposed to within a shopping app. (HostGator, Review42) That means prospective customers and clients are scouring the internet looking for you and what you offer. Make sure they find you. Get a website.
Gives you credibility as a business professional. Yeah, we’re in that era. I know if I go to purchase from you and you don’t have a website, I’m thinking twice. And it’s not just me. Almost 80% of people look for a company online before purchasing from them. (Review42) “As Craig Reardon writes at Smart Company’s Australian site, ‘The lack of a website will make customers question your fundamental business savvy. You just can’t be serious if you don’t have a website because it is the most basic of customer service tools.’” (HostGator)
Selling directly. Platforms like Etsy are great for being able to easily sell your products online. However, having a website and selling your products directly means you’re better able to build a relationship with your customers or clients. You can easily gather contact information, order history and preferences, search data, and more. And there are fewer fees!
It’s yours. With your website, you can make it look, feel, and sound however you want. You can change it however you need. If you decide to offer more, just add a page. If you decide to offer something completely different, just scrap the page and start a new one. If you decide to blog (which you should), just add another page. If you decide you want to collaborate with people, you got it, just add a page. The possibilities are absolutely endless.
Soooo you’re going to go start a website for your side hustle or business, riiiiiiight? Ok, great. I’m happy to hear it. I want all my fellow entrepreneurs to be their best selves and businesses. So I sincerely hope you do.
If you find that you want a website, yet feel overwhelmed by it, I’ve got you. I can build you a website from the ground up or give your current website a little boost. You can see my work here and check out the services I offer here.
What questions do you have? How’s your website working out for you?
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