Does Your Business Really Need a Website?

Author: Rachel Durkan Category: B2B, B2C, E-commerce & Retail, Marketing, Nonprofit, Social Media & Digital, Web Design Date: October 13, 2016

Let’s back track for a second, here.

Last week we discussed the cost of building a website. After reading this blog post, maybe you decided to do some research into web developers and received a number of quotes.  After receiving these quotes, did you think to yourself, “Does my business really need a website?”

That’s a legitimate question for many new businesses who might think that a website “is not worth it.”  With the growth of social media in today’s world, there are many opportunities to get your name out there and some people believe that their small business can “get by” with just a Facebook page. But, not all web marketing is created equal and your web presence included.

Do You Really NEED a Website?

The best way to answer the questions of whether you should have a website for your business or not is to look at the statistics.

It’s important to understand where your target market is looking for products and services. Did you know that 70-80% of people will research a company on the web before making a purchasing decision? So, even if you’re using direct mail, word-of-mouth or any other offline marketing tactic, you can bet than more often than not, someone is going to look your company up on the web.

The process will probably start with a Google search, and whether you have a website or just a Facebook page, it will come up in the search results. If your company does not have a website, and only a Facebook page, there is a general sentiment that the researcher will not take your company more seriously than another business that does have its own website.

A whopping 97% of consumers search online for products and services. This statistic is mind-blowing and means that if you do not have a website, you are missing out on a very large population of consumers who may be searching for your service or product.

This is just the beginning of why your business should have its own website. If you’re curious to know more reasons, stay tuned for next week’s blog post as we discuss in more detail the benefits of having a website for your business.