Misconceptions Small Businesses Have Before Going Digital.

A surprising number of small businesses and start-ups in India don’t have a website. And we understand as a start-up ourselves the reasons why one might resist building one for your business. 

But the reality is if you are interested in growing your brand, you need one. Having a strong online presence can truly make or break your business. According to a research article by Brightlocal, 80% of consumers research a business or a service online before making a purchase decision. SO if you don’t have an online website presence, you indeed have a chance of losing this market!

Firstly, let’s address some of these claims above:

It’s too expensive: 

Maybe 15 years ago, setting up a website was expensive for a small start-up entrepreneur, but that is no longer the case. Even if your company doesn’t have fancy budgets to build a website, some alternatives work equally well to start. Platforms like WordPress, Wix, and GoDaddy are easy to create and an extremely low-cost website building option for small businesses. 

I don’t have the time or the technical skills to maintain a website:

Using third-party web publishing platforms like WordPress and GoDaddy does not require you to be tech-savvy and creative or learn coding skills. You don’t need to depend on a website developer and spend hours designing and creating a website. Building and maintaining a website is easy, cheap, and practically instantly updated, and everything is in your company’s control at all times. 

I am on social media; I don’t need a website: 

If you want your brand to grow, the chances of your product/service being shown up in a google search by any consumer trying to find the best “leather shoes,” for instance, are zero. No doubt, social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are an excellent platform for marketing and brand awareness, but they cannot guarantee visibility; it’s just not enough! If you don’t have a website for your brand, the chances of showing up on the search engine results page (SERP) become very low. But once you have a website, you start ranking on Google for the keywords that your target audience is searching for by optimizing your website for search engines (SEO). You are also more likely to increase your chances of appearing on the initial pages of google search and getting more visibility with potential customers. 

According to a survey data report by Visual Objects, a portfolio website:” Nearly one-third of the small businesses they served (29%) say they plan to start using a website in 2020. And another 60% say they plan to heavily rely on their website as a marketing channel for business in the following year.” 

That Marketing Lady asks you to think over again!

 Your Website Shows You Exist: 

Your website is your business card. In an age of digital information where everything is available at the click of a button, consumers research before buying a product or opt for a service. If you don’t have a website, it sends a message that you probably don’t exist. People expect businesses to have their websites. A small business needs a website to drive forward the company’s growth; without it, most of your potential business will be lost due to the lack of much-needed visibility on the search engine, and it’s probably the fastest way to lose credibility. 

Your Website Increases Your Business Credibility: 

How much would you trust a business that didn’t have a website? Customers seeking you out online and not having a website can become criteria of suspicion and trustworthiness. A study by Blue Corona on “Small Business Statistics To Help Your Digital Marketing Strategy” shows that 75% of customers will judge your credibility based on your website. It’s without a doubt that having an established website and domain name gives your small business legitimacy.

Your Website Acts As Your Digital Brochure: 

With most consumers googling for products or services they are looking for, websites with mobile optimized pages act as a digital informational brochure. It also offers insights into your company; it provides an opportunity to showcase your products, outline your services, client testimonials and reviews, contact information, and detailed FAQs. An inadequate or not updated website can be an extremely unattractive factor to a prospective consumer. Your website represents your digital space in this global market, and without one, it’s challenging to build a successful online presence. Especially after the pandemic, almost all industries lean towards building their digital visibility, and you don’t want to be left behind. 

Your Website Leverages As A Powerful Marketing Channel:

For a small start-up or business, traditional marketing techniques like advertisements in television, media, and print can be very unaffordable. Having a website is a relatively low investment in getting your business online in this competitive market. Digital marketing, compared to traditional marketing, is extremely cost-effective, has a higher engagement rate, has a vast potential for ROI, and can effectively segment audiences and personalize markets. All established competitors of your industry likely already have a robust online presence, and I mean, if people cannot find you, they will find someone else. Your website not only allows you to promote your business, tell your story in your own words, build credibility, and distinguish yourself but also, quite frankly, compete!

Your Website Analytics Act As A Consumer Research Tool: 

Website analytics can offer great insight and study into the visitor’s online behavior on your webpage, like who your visitors are, where they are coming from, how much time they are spending on your site, and what they view on the website? Also, as preconceived, analytics is not just a thing for big establishments; regardless of your company’s size, web analytics can give you plenty of insights connected to your online presence. With access to such technology and understanding the data presented, businesses can effectively strategize, improve, and accelerate their marketing plan. Implementing a web analytics tool can be a highly significant step forward for a small business, and there are plenty of services that offer reasonable pricing plans. 

In Conclusion: 

As very aptly said by Lauren Williams (Founder of Harmony HR Experts), “Your website should be your number one salesperson,365 days a year, 24/7,” and we completely agree! If you are going to do one thing today to help your business – Get A Website!