Does My Small Business Really Need a Website?

During my initial conversations with clients, I am always asked the question “does my small business really need a website and/or a blog?”  And, I never hesitate with my answer, it is always absolutely.

Potential customers and clients are expecting you to have a presence on the internet.

Through a website customers can access information about your business 24 hours a day so your storefront or offices do not even need to be open yet you are providing information.  Your website should include a very basic but complete explanation of your business.  Make sure to highlight who you are as a small business owner, what brought you to your current occupation, and include members of your staff to make the user experience more personal and connected.

Having a comprehensive internet presence will showcase your goods and services and show potential customers and clients your expertise and personality.  A website and blog will also allow you to rank in Google search results so when searchers are looking for your goods and services.

Many small business owners believe that just starting the process of designing and having a website developed is going to be time and budget consuming, but it actually can be a very simple process if you do your homework and know what you want your site and/or blog to look like.  This way, you will only pay for expertise when you absolutely need the help.  As a small business owner myself, I designed and wrote the content for my website  and then had an expert develop it in WordPress.

While there is a creative piece to designing a website, do not overlook the importance of the nuts and bolts of the process.  You need to do some higher level thinking about  your goals for the site which should be part of your overall marketing plan.  What is the purpose of your site, are you providing information or selling actual goods and services?  How much support will you need after your site is launched?  Are you going to have the time to update the information, write articles, and do you want to learn how to post them?  Should you have an internal or external blog?  What is the overall look and feel of your business and how will that translate to the online environment?  Will it be mobile and tablet friendly and have social media share buttons?  How much personal information do you want to include?  I have helped many clients work through these questions preparing to meet with designers.  The process can seem a bit overwhelming but actually can be fun!

A big source of concern during the design process is cost.  There are so many great options for website design that are low cost and just as effective as the big firms wanting to charge well over $10,000.  You want to keep your site simple, providing high quality content of value to your customers and clients, and then make sure it is properly positioned on social media.

The day that we launched this site for Your Social Media Hour was a very exciting day.  Launching a site can be a reality for your small business as well.  If you need help with the process, please reach out for assistance!