A comprehensive guide on why your business needs a website and when it might not be necessary.

Many business owners ponder the question, "Do I need a website since I have a small business with a small workforce and since we don't sell anything online? "Sure, is the response! It is imperative for businesses to have a website in order to prevent their clients from going to competitors who already have one. Are you positive that you can't sell your goods online as well? Millions of customers are searching online for anything from books to clips to houses to natural gas and more as a result of COVID-19, which has changed the retail scene. Therefore, your rival has probably experienced how beneficial a website can be for their company while you hesitate. Without a doubt, you don't want to fall behind. However, one may wonder, "Doesn't my Facebook page count?" 

If I have a Facebook page, do I still need a website?

Businesses frequently use Facebook and other social media platforms as their primary means of advertising. Additionally, these channels have benefits. They assist you in conducting market research and in expanding your audience, for instance. But your company website shouldn't be replaced by a Facebook page. These are a few of the causes.

1, Your Facebook Page Is Not Yours What would happen if Facebook suddenly decided to stop supporting businesses? 

The clients and followers you cultivated on Facebook would probably vanish if that were your only online presence. IN fact, there were moments of frenzied activity not too long ago when Facebook went down globally. Although it's unlikely that Facebook will stop promoting companies, you have no influence over the modifications the social media platform decides to make. You, however, are completely in charge of the features and design of your website." 

2. There Are SEO Restrictions on Facebook

Reconsider it. For local business searches, where do you look? Google, or Facebook?  The majority of people prefer search engines over social networks when looking for information, as evidenced by the 3.5 billion queries that Google receives every day.

Establishing a presence on a business website enables you to be found by potential customers searching for your goods or services. Your site can be optimized for local searches to draw in visitors from your area, even if you can easily compete with larger websites.

3. A Website Has Greater Trust Value 

People only purchase from companies they are familiar with, fond of, and have faith in, and a company website is a sign of that confidence. Therefore, a business website would allow you to command more authority and trust, even though creating a Facebook page might be quicker." 

4.The focus is on It is extremely competitive to fleet on Facebook. 

You are continuously up against competition from multiple businesses if your business is listed on Facebook. You must also contend with the Facebook friends of your prospective clientele. You should expect that many people will ignore your business posts and ads because they find them annoying, especially when they want to interact with friends. Yet, a business website guarantees that you have the undivided attention of a prospective customer. This means that even though you may have to work hard to get them to your website, the likelihood of them making a purchase increases once they are there .Let us clarify that we are not advocating against having a Facebook page for your company. Your Facebook page and other social media accounts should complement your website rather than take its place. 

5. Advantages of a Web Page

There are many benefits to having a business website, regardless of size. These are the main advantages of having a website for your business.

1. Having a business website enhances your professional image

Anyone can quickly and easily create a company page on Facebook; the process is free. A business's social media page loses a lot of credibility because of this low entry barrier. Consumers have no idea who runs a Facebook page, where they are, or if everything is fake.

2. It's a Crucial Phase in Your Client's Path

Your goal should be for your audience to arrive at your effective website from various channels. You'll motivate potential customers to take action on the website.

Similar to a real store, people browse your website before visiting to see what you have to offer. Thus, even if they leave empty-handed on their first visit, they may return later to purchase something.

Likewise, clients discover your company through various platforms such as social media feeds. If the advertisement on social media piques their interest, they will anticipate visiting your website to learn more about the company. They might not follow the next reasonable step if there isn't a website.

3. Having a Website Boosts Your Awareness Worldwide,

there are more than 4.5 billion active internet users, and more than 90% of them use mobile devices to access the web. Your company is essentially invisible to these customers without a website. Your company will become invisible to those who matter unless you invest in a website, as COVID-19 pushes the global market even more digital.

4. It's Crucial For Small Businesses

A lot of small business owners do not think that investing in a successful company website is necessary. But right now, they're passing up a huge opportunity to make money. The significance of a website for a local business can be seen in the statistics below: Local intent is included in 46% of Google searches. Search is used by 97% of users to locate nearby businesses. After conducting a local search, 28% of users made a purchase. Because of what they discovered online, 70% of users plan to visit a store. You can realize all of this potential and boost your company's profitability with the aid of a business website." 

5. It Provides Verification from Others

The opinions that your clients have of your company may influence whether or not other people choose to do business with you. Thus, even though review sites like Yelp are useful, the greatest place for customers to learn more about your company is from your website. Putting your best reviews up on your website is a great way to build social proof and credibility. Furthermore, posting your best testimonials on your website prevents negative comments about your company from being downplayed by independent review sites.

6. An Organizational Website Provides Durable Benefits

Having a business website that keeps bringing in money for you years after you first built it is one of the best things about making an investment. Social media advertising that you pay for only reaches prospective customers for the duration of their scheduled display. The advertising campaign will need to be repaid if they don't see it. A business website, on the other hand, will eventually pay you back. You can adjust things until you see returns, even if it doesn't yield any in the first year." 

7. Building a Company Website Is Cheaper and Easier Than You May Imagine

Because they think it's expensive and difficult to create a website that works, many business owners choose not to build a website. Still, that is untrue. The cost and ease of creating a high-quality website has never been lower. You can use user-friendly, reasonably-priced website builders. The process of building and hosting a website is very simple

8. A Company Website Enables You to Market Online 

sales of goods and services are expected to reach over $5.4 trillion by 2022 due to their rapid growth. Undoubtedly, none of these transactions involve companies without websites. Having an online storefront can help you draw in new clients and keep up sales even if your company isn't a traditional e-commerce one.

9. You Own Whole Control Regarding Your Website

Unlike social media platforms, your website is your property, so you have complete creative control over it. You are free to distribute user reviews, movies, photos, and other content. You are also not required to abide by the ever-changing policies of social media sites. In the event of a social media blackout, such as the one that occurred when WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram vanished for a few hours, the content on your website is safe.

10. It's Easy to Manage a Business Website

It used to be intimidating to manage websites. But now more than ever, managing a website is simple thanks to content management systems (CMS) like WordPress or CMS Hub. Furthermore, maintaining the current version of your website doesn't require any technical knowledge." 

11. Online Resources Enhance Customer Support

Lots of crucial information that your customers require is present on an efficient website. So, they don't need to call to inquire about the location, business hours, or other straightforward matters. A website enhances a user's overall experience by providing assistance. Plus, your staff can concentrate on other crucial tasks that boost business productivity instead of being bogged down by simple customer inquiries.

12. Having A Website Gives You An Advantage Over The Competition

You can compete with the "big boys" in your industry even if you're a small business with an effective website. By strategically positioning your website and optimizing it appropriately, you can potentially outrank larger websites and generate high-quality leads through natural search engine

Five Arguments Against the Need for a Website for Your Company

Some justifications for not needing a website for your company are listed below.

1. You're Not Trying to Develop

Gaining more clients and increasing your revenue are two of the main goals of having a functional, successful website. There's probably not much of a reason to look for new customers or boost your revenue if your goal isn't to grow your company dramatically.

2. You Possess Ample Leads

Many companies excel at acquiring new business through referrals from current clients and leveraging their current network. Maybe a website isn't that important if this is you. This is assuming, of course, that your Rolodex will remain a useful tool for you.

3. You won't be hiring anytime soon

It's likely that potential hires will want to know more about you if you're trying to grow your team. And most likely, they'll visit your website.

Potential hires will choose a company with a lively website over one with an online brochure, all other things being equal.

Small businesses could benefit greatly from having a website because they lack the resources to draw in customers from beyond their immediate network. That is something that a website can assist with.

However, you can get by without a business website if you're not trying to hire exceptional talent.

4. You're Engaged in Virtual Monopoly Operations

If you are fortunate enough to operate in an industry with little to no competition and a product or service that customers simply must have, then a website is probably not absolutely necessary. There is no one else who can provide what your customers need. Best wishes. You probably don't need a fancy new website to boost your business, even though it might impress your spouse and coworkers.

5. You Have No Plans to Sell the Company Quite Yet

A growing number of business types consider their website to be a valuable asset when discussing valuation. This is especially valid if your company is a start-up, high-tech, or well-scale business.

It's very easy to figure out why. You have a stronger business than someone without one if you can show that your website is successful in bringing in new customers. Many businesses can achieve low customer acquisition costs by using the Internet.

Another benefit of using the Internet for sales and marketing is that its effectiveness can be more precisely gauged. If you were to sell your company and present the buyer with a graph illustrating your website traffic and its growth over time, along with specific information about how that traffic converts to sales, they would probably discover a strong correlation between the two.

Closing Remarks

You are ultimately in charge of deciding whether or not to build a website for your company. But building a website is a great place to start if you want to increase lead generation, visibility, social proof, and authority as part of your business objectives. 

Ready to take your business to the next level? Don't have the in-house skills needed to build and maintain a strong online presence? That's where Gfee.Work comes in. As an online marketplace for freelance professionals, Gfee.Work connects businesses like yours with a pool of skilled and experienced freelancers who can help build and maintain your website, manage your digital marketing efforts, and more. From website development to SEO to content creation, Gfee.Work offers a one-stop solution to all your digital needs. So, if you're looking to make an impact in the digital world, start by hiring the right talent from Gfee.Work!