Many businesses these days, whether they are brand new, or have been around for many years, seem to be neglecting the importance of a business website. Facebook seems to be the new “poor man’s website” where businesses have a Facebook page but have virtually no other presence on the web. Why is this a problem?
First of all, we now live in the day and age where not having a website for your business is like not having a phone number. Bad, right? In our new technology age, people’s impulse today is to look up a business on the web before doing anything else. If they can’t find you, that’s a serious problem: you automatically lose credibility in their eyes.
Maybe you do have a small web presence through a Facebook page, Google+ page, or LinkedIn page for your business. This is certainly a step in the right direction, but it is not the end all, be all of online marketing and web presence. If you have a business page on these social media sites, but do not have a website of your own, again, you lose credibility. As a business, you give your potential customers the idea that you are not an established business. While social media sites are great for connecting and engaging with your customers on a more “social” level, it still should not replace an official business website. These outlets can be used to drive traffic to your website through SEO (search engine optimization). In layman’s terms? These social media sites can be used to help people find your business on the web through higher ratings on organic searches related to your business. So don’t just stop at the social media sites. You lose search ranking capabilities by neglecting a business website.
Finally, let’s face it: people want information available at their fingertips (hello computers, tablets, and smartphones!) so if you, as a business, aren’t providing that necessary information through those venues, your business will be hurting in the long run. People want information about your business readily available, and if you aren’t providing that through an official business website, eyebrows will be raised and you may get fewer converts or leads.
So what’s the bottom line? If you don’t have a business website, trust us. You need one!
