Why you need to add a website to your to-do list
If you have a large and engaged following on social media you might be asking ” Why do I need a website?” but if you’re an ambitious service provider with a dream to help others with your amazing services, and a desire to build a fulfilling business for yourself, a website is your ultimate secret weapon (assuming people can find it and you don’t keep it a secret…)!
Here’s why a well thought out website is important to grow your small business…
1) Websites enhance your professionalism & Credibility
Your website gives you an online home and a well-designed website can really boost your business’s credibility, showing potential clients that you are a serious and professional business. Even if potential clients initially find you on social media the chances are they’ll look in your bio to see if you have a website. And if you don’t they’ll find one of your competitors who does.
Here are some interesting statistics from Forbes Advisor [1]:
- 78% of small business owners in the UK currently have a website for their business
- 83.5% of those said that their website plays a big part in their business
- 69% of UK business owners whose business does not have a website think that they should have one
It’s your digital business card, and if designed well makes a great first impression with potential clients. It shows you’re serious about what you do, builds trust and confidence with your audience and positions you as an expert, which is especially important for attracting and converting new clients
Tip > In addition to a strong service/s page, a blog is a great place to show your expertise and authority and can generate traffic from Google and attract clients to your website! Also don’t forget to show your client testimonials. Sprinkle across your site (and place near calls to action) and perhaps add a testimonials page too.
2) Visibility & brand awareness
Even while you sleep (or you’re out having fun with your kids/dog/partner!) Your website works for you 24/7, showcasing your services, personality and how you help clients, enabling them to start to know, like and trust you. It provides a simple way for them to find out more, enquire or book a call or service with you (Calender services such as Calendly and Acuity Scheduling are great for enabling clients to book with ease).
A website also raises brand awareness, and you have full control over your brand’s image. You can customise it with your bespoke visual identity -> Logo, typography, colours, photography and other brand assets.
Social media is a powerful way to grow your audience and connect with your ideal client but it’s owned by a third party so like building on rented land, you never own the content, and your content, reach, and visibility are at the mercy of algorithm changes and platform policies. As opposed to a website which you own and control, that’s not to say you shouldn’t have both, they compliment each other.
It’s good practice to use your social media profiles to entertain, share tips, connect and generally engage and ultimately drive people to your website where you could also encourage them to join your email list – in return for something of value and a quick win for them! Then nurture your list, this is great for business growth and an engaged email list will typically convert more sales than social media.
HubSpot notes that while social media is great for attracting new potential customers, email marketing focuses on nurturing those relationships and driving sales. In fact, HubSpot highlights that two-thirds of customers have made purchases directly as a result of email marketing efforts [2]
This is echoed in statistics from Forbes “…people being three times more likely to buy from email campaigns than from social media promotions.” [3]
3) SEO and Discoverability
While social media is great for engagement, it’s perhaps not the best tool for organic search visibility. A well-optimized website improves your chances of being discovered by potential clients through search engines like Google. By investing in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), you can target specific keywords and phrases related to your services, making it easier for people to find you when they’re searching for what you offer. This increased discoverability can lead to more inquiries, leads, and ultimately, business growth.
These reasons emphasize the importance of having a dedicated online presence that complements, rather than replaces, social media activity and can help expand your reach beyond social media algorithms.
It’s not always possible but ideally start thinking about SEO prior to building your website, as well as guiding your sitemap and the pages you have, it will have an impact on your copywriting.
Having a blog should also be a key part of this strategy, it positions you as an authority by educating and answering questions posed by your audience and is another opportunity for Google to find your content in a search.
If you need a hand getting started with your website, I have a FREE resource to help you
‘💫10 steps to kickstart your web design project without overwhelm’.
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