Why do I need a website for my small business?

Deciding whether your business needs a website or not can be a tricky choice to make:

• For established businesses who’ve already made strides without one, is it really necessary given your success without one?
• And for newcomers to the world of business ownership, is it worth the time and effort or will a social media presence suffice?

While it is possible to run a successful business without a website, the simple fact of the matter is that in 2021, it’s never been more important to invest in a website for your business. 

There are a whole host of benefits on offer, many of which only serve to grow with time. Don’t believe us? Then read on to discover our eight reasons why a website is mission-critical for small businesses. 

1. Consumers expect you to have one

Today in the UK there are 46.6 million daily active web users - if you consider there are 66.6 million people living in the UK as a whole (including minors) that’s a whopping proportion of the population. 

The vast majority of online shoppers head to the web to do some research before parting with their hard-earned cash, whether that’s with a small local shop or large enterprise. 

Think about it, would you consider splashing out with a business that didn’t have a strong online presence in the digital age we live in? Neither would the average consumer. 

The aftermath of the COVID pandemic also comes into play here - it pushed swathes of the nation to get their retail therapy fix online, and experts don’t expect this trend to die down in a post-pandemic world, as consumers have come to appreciate the convenience on offer. 

The takeaway? Not having a website could cost you big and send out the message you’re not open to attracting new customers - it could limit your sales. 

2. It makes you look professional

84% of British consumers polled said a business website made companies look more professional than those simply on social media alone. In other words, having a website made consumers more likely to shop with businesses.

On a website, you can show off any accreditations, certifications, or awards, including the likes of secure payments and industry-specific badges highlighting not only your professionalism but a commitment to consumer safety, and positioning your business as reliable and trustworthy.

3. Control your branding 

We’ve alluded to the fact you could just limit your online presence to social media. In fact, the likes of Facebook will allow you to establish a name, description, location, and more. 

However, what you don’t get on social is total control over how your business is portrayed and the branding around your pages. 

With a website, you’re in full control over your branding and the way your business is presented to consumers. Your website is your official presence on the web, so you can dictate:

• Site design
• Marketing
• Logo
• Branding
• Tone of voice
• Contact info, and more.

Plus, you won’t need to worry about the ever-changing algorithms and rules on the big social networks, or fear your established presence is taken away at the drop of a hat. Your website, your rules. 

4. It will attract more customers 

The more customers the better, right? Naturally, every business wants a healthy and growing customer base and a website can help you get just that. 

A well-optimised website will help your site rank well in search engine results - and given there are over 40,000 Google searches per second in the UK alone and as many as 92% of consumers won’t look beyond the first page of results, ranking well is super important and key to attracting new customers.

Top tip: Learn all about SEO and how to optimise your business website here and here. 

5. Websites build credibility 

Credibility is vital, after all, no one would spend money with a business they deemed uncredible. Despite the wholesale shift to digital of recent years, there are still consumers who are reticent to spend online unless they’re confident in a businesses legitimacy. 

So how do you build credibility? A website can give your credibility a huge boost. You can include information on your business, your location, your contact details, as well images of your business in action to show the faces behind the screen.

Furthermore, you can easily include customer testimonials front and centre on your site - a surefire way to reassure uneasy browsers. 90% of customers read online reviews before trying out a new business and place much more emphasis on those than anything you can say or do as a business. 

Building credibility by employing social proof like this is a killer strategy for any business, and a website makes it simple.

6. Make selling easier

Not only can online sales supplement your brick and mortar endeavours locally, but they can open up your business to exponentially more consumers nationwide. 

The internet is global after all, and all it takes is a quick Google search and your products could be in front of eyes up and down the country. 

7. Websites are easier than ever to create and maintain

If you don’t consider yourself a particularly tech-savvy business owner this needn’t put you off building a website in 2021. There are now tonnes of options on the market that make designing and building a website a doddle. 

We’ll do all the hard work for you, leaving you to get on with the day-to-day or running your business while your dedicated Project Specialist gets your website up and running. 

Our affordable and expertly designed templates make the whole process a piece of cake, you’ll have total control over the branding, content, and design, we won’t charge you any upfront fees, and of course, market-leading payment systems come as standard. 

The catch? There isn’t one, all of this is yours for as little as £39 a month.

8. Future-proof your business 

In 2021, 4.66 billion people globally use the internet, and of that figure, 316 million joined the online revolution in the last 12 months, demonstrating the clear and ongoing migration of the world to online. 

Propelled by the Coronavirus pandemic, digital is an absolute must for businesses and if you’re not already aboard the online train, there’s no time like the present to hop on and reap the rewards. 

Without a website, your business is rendered invisible to over half the British population so in order to remain competitive going forward and ensure the continued success of your business, creating a website is a no-brainer.

Next steps

Ready to set the wheels in motion and take your small business online? When you're ready with your website, we can set you up to take payments on there so you can keep your business open 24/7. 

You’ll get access to:

• The latest security standards
• Flexible integration options,
• Links to most major shopping carts, and
• 7 days a week UK based support.

For heaps more advice and guidance designed specifically for small businesses, don’t forget to check out our jam-packed blog!

Bryony Pearce

Copywriter