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Building a website is the best thing you can do for your business right now

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Has your business struggled with its sales ever since the Covid-19 pandemic started? Are you trying to find new and innovative ways to boost your business exposure? Here are some interesting facts and statistics on why building a website is the best thing you can do for your business right now.

According to a recent article on BBC News, average retail sales suffered an all-time low in 2020, with annual sales performing the worst in almost 25 years. This was a consequence of lockdown restrictions being imposed right across the globe, and physical stores not experiencing even a tenth of the traffic it used to in previous years.

In addition to this shortcoming, businesses from all over had to resort to other methods of marketing and selling their products, and that’s where having an online presence comes in. If the last year has taught us anything, it’s that anything is possible and unfortunately this meant that entrepreneurs had to suddenly adapt their business in any way possible just to keep their doors open. Some saw a slight gap in the market and grabbed it with both hands.

Why building a website is crucial

Lockdown restrictions meant fewer customers passing by physical stores but thousands more browsing through your virtual store, this change in consumer behavior has been widely referred to as The Great E-commerce Boom. The term roughly suggests that normal day to day purchases in multiple industries have rapidly increased on online platforms, and consumers have realized all too well how easy it is to shop and transact from the comfort of their own home.

Recent statistics on small businesses show that even though almost 90% of consumers use the internet to find their local businesses, a mere 50% of those businesses actually have websites. So, while you are in your place of business trying your best to increase sales and meet targets, there is a boatload of potential clients who want to support you, but just don’t know about you…

That being said, imagine having an online platform that can carry the burden of your sales on days when your principal place of business just isn’t cutting it? A magical place where you can sell your goods without the issue of excessive rent, overheads, and bills? That’s just the stuff dreams are made of, isn’t it? No, it’s not! And here’s why building a website will solve your problems faster than you can say Jack Robinson:

Most legitimate companies have websites

Having a website not only places your company in a whole other league, but it boosts the credibility of your business. When a potential client even thinks about your product, but can’t find a single online representation of it, the client will automatically start doubting the credibility of the company and most likely find something else. Credibility and your brand are two major boxes that building a website ticks and will almost definitely increase the number of sales your company experiences on a daily basis.

The larger the audience, the bigger the profits

You automatically have access to a much larger audience than a physical location in a community ever could have. Businesses that rely on walk-in customers must rely on only a few people in their community or near the business location whereas a website is accessible from all over the world by millions of online users. A website is a platform where your business can be accessed 24/7, across the globe. This instantly increases the exposure and sales capability of your company.

Your have full control over your website

Using social media platforms like Facebook & Instagram can be daunting, especially if you cannot afford to reach the number of potential customers you need to make a real profit. You need a brand and you also need your locals to get acquainted with your logo and start getting searched for online. This will allow your local customers to give you exposure by word of mouth, and when your company is searched for your website will pop up first.

Instant access to customer insights

Having a website will give you access to tools that can be used to determine who your common customer is, how they found out about you, and what they thought about your product. This information will assist with evaluating and adjusting your product and service to meet your customers’ needs. Positive reviews will not only promote your product but also encourage potential customers to trust and invest in it.

Information is key

Think about it, whenever you’re looking for a certain business or product on the internet, what exactly are you looking for? The answer is simple:

Where can I find it?

What’s the price?

How do I get it?

All of the above is crucial information that your potential customers are looking for and is the purpose of your website at its simplest! Furthermore, additional info can be added, such as promotions, contact details as well as images and locations of your product when designing and building a website.

So, now that you’ve been persuaded beyond all reasonable doubt to get yourself that shiny new website, let’s get into the dirty details of exactly HOW you’re going to make that magic happen:

1. Register your desired domain name

Finding a suitable domain name that’s also available can be tricky, but it’s crucial when building a website. It should have direct relevance to your business but also be easy to read and remember. Your domain name also influences the ranking of your website in regards to the keywords you use. Using words that are most often searched for when people are looking for the product or service you provide will ensure that your website pops up as one of the first links when searched.

For example, if you have a branding company by the name “Headlines”, a good idea would be to have your domain name as “www.Headlinesbrandingcompany.com” so your website pops up if someone searches for a branding company.

2. Get yourself a web hosting company

You’re going to need a web hosting company to get that perfect domain name of yours on the internet. These service providers do all the heavy lifting for you and ensure that it’s always smooth sailing for your website. The fees for these web hosting companies differ depending on the service provider, so go ahead and grab yourself a GoDaddy Hosting Coupon just because you deserve it.

Web hosting comes in all shapes and sizes, including VPS, Shared, Dedicated, WordPress, Reseller, and cloud. Different requirements call for different hosting, you can discuss this with your hosting company and they will be able to accurately advise on what your needs should be. If you want to do your homework before even starting you can read this article on PC MAG that will give you some great insights into exactly how hosting works and what you can expect from your service provider.

3. Create your content

Now it’s time for the meaty part of your website, the good stuff. Having a website that’s easy to navigate and well written will ensure that the customer feels comfortable to be on it. Whether you’re writing the content yourself or hiring a professional to do it for you, make sure that the website is equipped to be able to do everything you want it to, transactions and all.

Also, double-check whether your website has all the information it needs, from contact details to promotions and even what your business is about. You have very little time to convince your potential customer to browse some more (we’re talking like a tenth of a second) so be sure your website is aesthetically pleasing and that people like to interact with it.

This is one of the main areas of focus concerning building a website design and layout. Even though people sometimes only browse your items for future reference they might still make an impulse purchase if your website is fit for them.

4. Bob-the-builder your website

It’s like Sims, but instead of building a house, you’re building the mansion that is your website! In this particular instance, a professional would be highly advised. Your website will also need ongoing maintenance so rather leave the nitty-gritty stuff to your web-developer and just wave those polished nails around while explaining exactly how you want your website to look – your vision needs to be expressed!

Make sure your web guru helps you with some SEO for your website, such as keywords, which will ensure search engines find the website a lot easier.

Conclusion

So that’s the long and short of building a website. Whether you are a new start-up business looking to expand, or a long-time running company that got hit by some pretty unprecedented times, creating and having your website will not only improve the look and feel of your company but ultimately skyrocket your business into the plushy cloud that is success!

About Business Woman Media

Our women don’t want to settle for anything but the best. They understand that success is a journey involving personal growth, savvy optimism and the tenacity to be the best. We believe in pragmatism, having fun, hard-work and sharing inspiration. LinkedIn

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