WHY EVERY BUSINESS SHOULD INVEST IN A WEBSITE

A strong website can have a massive impact on the success of any business, regardless of the industry. This is especially true in a post COVID world, where more people are shopping online than ever before. Business owners should think about investment in their digital storefront in the same way they view investment in their brick and mortar location. They want to provide customers with a fresh, innovative, well merchandised experience when they walk through the door - the same should be true for the customer experience online. Below are the top reasons why every business should invest in a website:

ESTABLISHES CREDIBILITY

The Yellow Pages are long dead, and the way customers discover new businesses has changed. Today, people leverage search engines, like Google, to virtually check out businesses before they even consider stepping inside. 97% of customers will visit a business’s website before shopping. Customers also use the website to gauge a business’s credibility and evaluate the quality of their products and/or services. Even if your business doesn’t sell a single item online, outdated websites can deter customers from visiting, which hurts sales. Often, people use a business’s websites to infer the quality of their physical store from a business’s online presence, which is why it is so critically important to invest in both storefronts. A whopping 86% of consumers rely on the internet to find local business. At the end of the day, a welcoming digital storefront is vital for the survival of your brick & mortar store.

STREAMLINES CUSTOMER SERVICE

In addition to establishing credibility, a strong website can help streamline the customer service process. First, a thoughtfully designed website can act as a helpful depository of FAQs like: hours, location, and return policies.  Without a clearly organized website, it can be difficult for customers to find reliable information about your business, which leads to an increased number of calls from confused customers, which ultimately hurts employee productivity. Second, you can leverage a website to manage the early steps of the customer return/complaint process. Including a customer service submission form on your site can help you field a wide range of concerns without having to immediately deal with lengthy phone calls.

A PLACE TO DRIVE CUSTOMERS

Any company actively engaged in marketing needs an easily accessible place to drive inbound traffic. An optimized website can help center a larger marketing strategy.  It is a place to send potential customers from social media accounts, email marketing, and even traditional mailers. Once people find your business through your website and “become interested in your product or service and want to know more, they'll know how to contact you thanks to the information on your website, which gives you the opportunity to increase your sales. Even though websites have a cost, when used correctly, they have a positive ROI.” A well designed site can help foster long-term trust and sales. A strong website built for e-commerce will give customers the confidence to make that all-important first purchase.

BUILDS YOUR BRAND

A website is a huge opportunity to communicate your brand to customers! It’s so important to communicate your values. People want to feel connected to the brands they purchase from, so businesses should not underestimate this kind of content. According to a recent survey, “almost three-quarters (72%) of U.S. consumers believe it is “more important than ever” to buy from companies that reflect their values.” Your website is a powerful way to establish “who you are, what you represent and what you stand for…[which] increases the chances of your customers buying from you.” Building a strong online brand is one way you can work to differentiate yourself from the competition.

DRIVES REVENUE

Businesses without optimized websites are passing sales onto their competitors. Surveys say 89% of consumers will shop at the competitor’s shop after a frustrating web experience with a company. 38% of consumers “will immediately stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive.” 47% of consumers expect a website to load under 2 seconds. Retailers lose an estimated $2.6 billion every year from slow websites. These statistics illustrate why It is so critical to make digital storefront investment part of your business strategy. To fully stand out in this modern retail landscape, businesses need websites designed for e-commerce.  

Ultimately, consumer behavior is dictated by three factors: availability, convenience, and value. It’s important to meet your customers where they are at and how they want to shop. By managing an effective website, you can begin to capture this important segment of customers. Businesses should look to grow both channels in a way that drives towards long-term and sustainable business growth.

INVEST IN A WEBSITE TODAY

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