5 Reasons Why Small Businesses Need a Website

The internet has become an important (if not vital) part of our lives today. When it comes to small businesses, it is safe to say that they cannot afford to be without a website regardless of the industry they operate in.

If you own a small business but do not have a website, you are losing out on a significant amount of business. Here are five reasons why you should consider having an internet presence in the form of a website.

1. Almost Everyone is Using the Internet Today

If you are a small local business, you need to have a website to attract the attention of local customers/clients. Almost everyone makes use of the internet to access information related to products and services that they are seeking.

They conduct searches via their smartphones, tablets, and laptops and make their purchase decision based on the information they find online about a particular business, product, or service. If you do not have a website, potential customers that are searching for your products or services will do business with your competitors.

2. Build Credibility in the Market

Today, people expect every business to have a website. This is similar to the concept when people used to expect companies to have a physical business address. If you do not have a website, customers will not take you seriously. Building credibility and increasing sales are vital to the success and viability of every small business.

Your business website can quickly become the face of your business on the internet, which is where most of your customers are now. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to have a website. Period.

3. The Perfect Marketing Channel

Once you have a business website, it becomes an excellent medium for marketing your business. You can use this platform to introduce existing and potential customers/clients to your products and services. It becomes one of the easiest ways for people to find you and learn more about your offerings.

By incorporating digital marketing strategies (SEO/SEM), online advertising, and blogging, you can increase your sales and profitability.

4. Small Business Websites Are an Opportunity for Lead Generation

When people visit your website for information about your products or services, you can prompt them to provide their contact information via an online contact form. This is significantly easier and quicker than getting people to provide their contact information on paper and sharing this information at a physical storefront. Once you have their contact details, it becomes far easier for you to reach your potential customers/clients and boost your sales.

5. Consumers Prefer To Make Online Purchases

In the first quarter of 2019, adjusted retail e-commerce sales in the U.S. amounted to more than $137.7B U.S. dollars. Retail e-commerce sales are forecasted to grow at a rapid pace in the coming years. It is estimated that by 2020, online sales will grow to above $684B U.S. dollars. For more stats, visit: https://learn.g2.com/online-shopping-statistics and https://www.inc.com/peter-roesler/new-research-reveals-more-consumers-are-shopping-online-for-everyday-items.html.

These statistics make it very clear that consumers today are favoring online shopping. If your small business sells products, you should consider an E-Commerce website as this can significantly increase your sales and profits.

No matter which way you look at it, if you want to attract more customers and increase sales, you need to have a website. Although it is not mandatory for you to have an e-commerce website if you sell products, having an online presence in the form of an informational website can at the very least help improve your online visibility.

If you want more information about this subject or need help building or updating your small business website, call New England Web Services at (860) 249-1341 or visit www.NewEnglandWebServices.com.