In 2021, a whopping 28% of small businesses still didn’t have a website. Even before the start of the pandemic, most people expected companies to have an online presence.

Without a website, your customers don’t know where you’re located or what your opening hours are.

And frankly, they probably don’t even know you exist.

Maybe you already know you need a website and are planning on putting one up, just like 44% of those small business owners who didn’t have one at the time of the survey.

But how much does a website help a business?

78% of consumers rely on the internet to look for local businesses at least once a week. Without a website, you’d lose ALL of those potential new customers.

That’s a lot of lost revenue. 😭

In fact, 77% of respondents to a Moz survey said they use Google more than 3 times a day to search for things online.

Guess what?

If you don’t have a website, they’re finding your competitors instead.

But you can’t just put up any old website.

Your website has to be:

• Professional
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Mobile-friendly
• Designed to convert

More than half of your customers use mobile devices to search the web. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, those people will click away faster than you can blink.

You also don’t have a lot of time to convince visitors to stay on your site.

It takes only a half a second for a website visitor to form an opinion. And 94% of negative feedback about a website has to do with the design of the site.

The good news is there’s a lot of potential success if your business puts up a professional, well-designed website.

However, this doesn’t mean rolling up your sleeves and throwing up a site DIY-style tonight.

The websites you can build without using a developer will not bring you the results you deserve. It’s like building your own house without using an architect or a builder.

Don’t build a DIY website if you’re not a developer and want to see results. Work with an experienced team instead. Look for a developer that knows how to build a website that attracts people to your business and converts them from casual visitors to raving fans. ⭐

So How Much Does a Website Help a Business?

If you have a website designed to convert and you also nail content and SEO, you’re looking at a potential goldmine.

In fact, good UX design can increase conversions by up to 400%.

That’s because 45% of shoppers search Google before they make an in-store purchase, and over 50% use Google to discover new brands.

There’s a lot of untapped potential for your business!

How Much Does a Website Help a Business? 7 Incredible Benefits

Having a website for your business is just not negotiable unless you want to be one of the 50% of businesses that go under in the first 5 years.

And remember, you only get to reap these benefits if your website is gorgeous.

Otherwise, it will be part of the 96.55% of websites that don’t get any traffic or love from Google.

1. Customers Find You Online

If you’re like most people, you use your smart phone multiple times a day to look stuff up.

• When does the pharmacy open?
• Where was that nail salon located?
• How are the reviews for that new restaurant you saw?

Your smart phone has the answers to all your questions.

As a business owner, you want your website to show up for those relevant searches.

Having a website allows customers to get the information they’re looking for, whether that’s prices, opening hours, location, or something else.

If your website also includes useful content, your customers will come back to it.

But the site must be designed around a great user experience. Otherwise, people immediately leave your site.

2. Build Trust

Your website should help you build trust online.

Having a website that builds credibility increases the chance customers will buy from you offline or online.

Having a beautifully designed website that’s intuitive to use makes your business look professional.

Think of the last time you visited a website that felt clunky or cluttered, where you didn’t know what to do. I bet it didn’t take you long to navigate away.

And you’re not the only one.

Your website must have top-notch design to keep your customers hooked and build trust.

Other trust builders include:

• Professionally written content
• Relevant images
• Clean website design
• Clear call-to-action buttons
• Reviews or testimonials

3. Showcase Your Brand

Your website is your chance to tell people who you are and how you can serve them.

It’s about your brand and your message.

You need to be crystal clear on how you can serve your customers in a way that nobody else can.

Then use the content on your website to drive that point home.

4. Increase Your Organic Traffic

There are easily over 8 million searches a day on Google alone.

How many of those customers are searching for something you can help with? Probably quite a few, depending on your niche.

If you don’t have a website, you’re not taking advantage of all the free traffic on the internet.

When your company doesn’t have a website, your customers are visiting your competitor’s website instead. And they’ll buy from them instead of you.

Ouch. 😱

Don’t shoot yourself in the foot like that.

Put up an amazing site your customers will want to see.

Then integrate with Google maps to help more people find you locally.

Next, you want to take advantage of all that traffic to generate leads.

5. Generate Leads

Your website can be your greatest tool for lead generation.

I have built and sold a seven-figure business using content to generate leads for my business and hundreds of clients, so I know what I’m talking about.

Content marketing still works.

Your website can be the gateway to your customer’s inbox if you use strategic lead generation and offer useful content.

Any content you write for your website can increase your sales exponentially over time.

6. Showcase Your Goods

86% of website visitors want to see your products and services on your homepage.

Your website is your best chance at showcasing what you do and how you can help your customers.

You want professional, high-quality photos and images on your site to make it easier for your customers to VISUALIZE what you do.

If they land on your website and can’t figure out what you do, then you’re not doing it right.

This also goes back to your brand and what’s special about your company.

7. Encourage Your Customers to Engage with You

Your website is like an online business card, but it can do so much more.

64% of website visitors are looking for a way to contact you.

Don’t waste this opportunity to make a connection. 🤝

Your website is a great place to build a relationship with your customers. Encourage them to sign up to your newsletter, send you a question, or call you.

I hope by now you’re convinced your business needs a website.

And not just any old DIY website.

You need a professional, beautiful website that will bring in more traffic and conversions for your business.

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Website?

One reason people gravitate to DIY sites is the price point.

At less than a few hundred dollars, it seems like a steal.

But remember, we’re talking about building a website for your business. This is a FOUNDATIONAL structure you need to generate leads and income.

The DIY version won’t do that for you.

Some costs associated with building a website, like domain names and hosting, stay the same. The actual cost is building the website, and that’s really where you’ll see results that are worlds apart.

With an hourly rate, you may wonder how many hours it takes to build a website.

Look for a web designer/developer who will charge you a flat fee. Rates often start at $4k.

If you want people to take your business seriously, you definitely have to invest in a website.

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