Do I Need a Website For My Business?

There are now over 3 billion people actively using the internet and millions have made a move from shopping in-person to shopping online. Studies have shown that the majority of consumers will research a product or service online before converting to a business, which means that having a website online is more important now than ever before. No matter how small or large your business, or what products or services you provide, a website can help you to stand out amongst competitors and take your business to the next level.

At YourWeb, we know how important a website is for generating leads – we are a web design agency that can provide a simple brochure website to a full online store. The web design team at YourWeb have the experience to create a website that helps your business to grow. Here are the top reasons why you need a website for your business in 2022.

Why Should My Business Have a Website?

Consumers can now access everything online within a matter of minutes which means that if your business isn’t online you may be missing out on valuable customers.

Even small businesses or those that don’t sell items online should have a website – here are the top reasons why!

Your business will display on Google

One of the most important reasons that your business needs a website is that a search engine like Google or Bing will be able to display your products/services to potential customers. Billions of people across the world use Google to search for products, services and to find businesses close by.

If a search engine like Google brings up your business on the search results page you will get more traffic and therefore more sales.

To rank highly on Google, your website needs to be user friendly, have a professional website design and provide visitors with the correct information.

SEO (search engine optimisation) can skyrocket your site’s traffic and business sales; optimising your website so that Google rates it highly and therefore displays it to more people is one of the most effective ways to market any business.

Factors that help your Google ranking include:

• Great website design
• High-quality images
• SEO services (e.g. effective keywords within your content, meta titles, alt tags, indexing)
• A good amount of web clicks
• Internal and external links

Additionally, having a website allows you to link your information to your Google Business Listing.

A Google Business Listing is essential so that someone can easily find your information if searching your business name on Google. Placing your website address in this listing box means that you look much more professional and reputable.

If your business has a physical location, a Google Business Listing and website will enable your company name to display on Google Maps – which is another way for clients in the area to find out about you.

Search engine optimisation

Search Engine Optimization or SEO is the process of optimizing a website so that it is more likely to appear higher in the search engine results.

The more SEO work performed on a website means there are more chances that the website will rank higher on Google and other search engines.

Ideally, businesses want to rank higher than their competition and other companies in the industry.

For more information on SEO and optimising your website design for search engines like Google and Bing read our blog post here.

You will look much more professional

Because so many people are now active online, consumers may be suspicious of your company if you do not have a website. Without a website, customers may feel it is difficult to contact you or may struggle to find the information they need.

If they can find this information with another business then they are more likely to buy with a competitor. A website generally helps a consumer to feel your business is reputable, trustworthy and professional.

Potential customers may want to find out your opening hours, look at photos of the product/services you provide, find out if you have any promotions, read testimonials or look for the best way to contact you.

Without a website, people can struggle to find what they need.

In 2022, information online is being provided faster than ever before, which is why it is vital that your website not only exists in the first place but has a great web design that is easy to navigate.

Your website will be more user friendly and professional if the layout is easy-to-use, there are multiple pages with information and business details, and has appropriate tools to help customers make their purchase.

A web design agency like YourWeb will ensure that your website is created in a professional way – our team have the right expertise to know exactly what works and what doesn’t when it comes to your website design.

You can stand out amongst competitors

Your competitors are very likely to have a website. This means that people searching for your product/service online are highly likely to come across their website. Without a website, you are losing out on valuable business, as competitors will be able to capture your target audience, instead of you.

Even if you have a presence on social media, you will lose out on customers if you don’t have a website. 80% of consumers research a product/service before making a purchase decision, which is why they are highly likely to check out a business’ website before buying with them or visiting them.

Don’t let competitors take away business from you! Make sure you have a fair chance by having an SEO optimised website with a great web design and all of the information a consumer may look for.

You can provide potential customers with information, fast

Clients search websites most commonly for information such as opening hours, contact details, reviews, photos, prices and a physical location if there is one.

This information needs to be easy to find and displayed in a clear and concise way to prevent confusion.

The more information you can provide, the more likely it is that website users trust your business.

This means they will also stay on your website for longer, which can help with search engine optimisation.

High-quality photos and video footage can be a great way to keep people engaged with your website, however, it is important that they are uploaded in small file size, otherwise, your website may take a while to load.

Your website’s speed is very important because if your information takes too long to load, people may exit out and find another site. A website design agency like YourWeb are able to ensure images and videos on your site are optimised so that they do not negatively affect your website’s speed.

Many consumers also like to view prices online before enquiring with a business, which is why providing a menu, service list or product list with prices on your website can be a great way to get more clients.

It is a wise idea to create a Q&A section on your website with answers to your most commonly asked questions.

You will be able to improve your customer service

A website can improve your customer service as it is can act as the main hub for clients to contact you or find valuable information.

People are also able to put more trust in a business with a website as they feel they are more likely to be replied to, or can get in touch with you if they have a problem.

Your website design can also include a live web chat, which allows potential clients to reach you almost immediately throughout the day. Live chat widgets can send a notification to your phone to let you know that someone is trying to reach you through your website.

You can also turn a live chat widget off outside of working hours, which makes them a great addition to your online business.

Don’t make your consumers’ lives difficult by having a number of different contact lines; make your website the customer service hub so that people trust they can get through to the right person in no time.

You can get involved with email marketing

Having a website can help you with email marketing because you will be able to create a professional email address that includes your company name.

When creating a website, you will need to purchase a domain that will give you access to email hosting.

A personal email address not only looks unprofessional but may not allow you to get involved with mass email tools such as HubSpot, MailChimp or ActiveCampaign.

These sites may not allow you to use a personal email address in order to prevent spam.

Developing a website can help to deliver successful marketing campaigns such as email and newsletter marketing.

What Type of Website Do I Need?

There are two main types of websites that you can create for your business; eCommerce sites or standard portfolio sites.

Ecommerce websites are those that allow people to purchase a product/service online.

The web design will typically include a cart feature, where web visitors can add products/services to their cart and purchase with their debit or credit card through your website.

There are a few different reputable hosting sites such as WordPress and Shopify that allow you to set up an eCommerce site.

A standard portfolio website is one without an eCommerce option; it simply displays information and examples of work so that people can find out more about your company before converting with you in person.

If you sell physical items that can be collected or delivered to clients, an eCommerce website design is the best option for you.

Additionally, if you provide service virtually or in person, you could also have an eCommerce site created. These make it easy for people to purchase with you.

However, eCommerce web tools will typically cost you more money each month than a standard portfolio site.

How Do I Create a Website?

Creating a website isn’t difficult but does require a good amount of time and effort. If you don’t have spare time then your best option is to hire a website design agency like YourWeb to develop your website.

Alternatively, if you do have spare time then you may want to learn or touch up on your web design skills.

Hire a web design agency like YourWeb

At YourWeb, our web designers have years of experience with creating online stores, attracting the right customers to your company.

Our designers can create a website that helps you to get more sales and rank highly on Google, with search engine optimisation, effective web design and digital marketing solutions available to you.

You can find out more about the websites we have worked on previously here.

Teach yourself to create your website

You can teach yourself to create your company website with a website builder like WordPress, Shopify or Wix. All of these web builders require a monthly fee to host your website.

The best way to gain knowledge of website design and creation is to watch YouTube tutorials or get help from skilled friends or Facebook groups.

However, creating websites yourself with little knowledge of the best practice for SEO can decrease your chances of appearing high on Google search results.

Website Design, Strategy and SEO Help with YourWeb

YourWeb is a web design agency that can help to not only create a new website but optimise your site content for search engines, providing SEO services, website design and digital marketing strategies.

Our friendly team can provide web design and marketing solutions that take your business to the next level, and help you to reach those all-important goals. Find out more about YourWeb and the services we can provide through our website today at yourweb.ie. You can also contact our web design agency team by calling +353 (59) 910 5049 or emailing us through info@yourweb.ie.

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