Websites! You have to have one in 2020 otherwise, you can kiss those customers goodbye.
… well, most of the customers.
Before I start explaining why it’s so important to have a website, let me be clear: I’m not trying to sell you on buying a new website. This article is with the intent of showing you the importance of a website in 2020, not to mention 2019, 2018, 2017…
If you want a new website after you read this article, then you’re in luck because our web development team can build you literally anything. Go check out our web design page if you’re interested, but only AFTER you read the article. Here, we want to prove to you that a website is the lifeline of your business.
There’s a laundry list of reasons why everyone needs a website in 2020, and we’ll list some of the most important ones.
Without further ado, let’s get to the juicy information!
Everyone Needs a Website
Before you skip over this section because it’s so vague to your needs and as to why you came to this article, hold on real quick.
Everyone who has a business needs a website. PERIOD.
But why? I’ll explain.
For starters, websites are your online storefront and are WAY cheaper than owning an actual storefront for which you pay rent, insurance, and electric bills, blah, blah, blah.
I’m not saying that you should close down your physical storefront if you have one. What I am saying is that it’s cheap to purchase and maintain a website and you might find higher conversions on your website nowadays. The ROI that you can get from it is delightful.
When I say that everyone needs a website, I’m literally saying that a website could be for a business owner, a real estate agent, a doctor, a dentist, a local newspaper, a columnist, a plumber, a locksmith, etc.
A website doesn’t always need to be for businesses. Many websites are publications for learning new information. Other websites are created just for entertainment reasons like YouTube or some social media outlets.
There are plenty of reasons to build a website nowadays, but if you’re a business owner, a website is VITAL in 2020. We’ve seen many business owners lose out on tons of opportunities, leads, and sales because they’re living in the dark ages where word of mouth and a phone line is all they need. Well, if that works for you and you don’t plan on growing any further, then keep at it.
However, if you’re one of the 99.99% of business owners who want to grow their business, let’s jump into the reasons why building a website is more important than ever before, especially with the new events of COVID-19 (coronavirus) afflicting the entire world.
Get your pen and notepad out… or just bookmark this page for later.
Websites Build Credibility
Yes, I did!
In a world of digital devices and online interactions, websites are the new storefront for your business. Since you can literally do anything you want with them, they are a staple for your business both online AND offline.
Think of it this way.
When a customer wants to learn something about your business, where are they going to go? Do you think they’re going to call you, asking questions? No, because they probably don’t even have your phone number.
According to Standford’s web credibility research, 75% of customers admit to judging a business’s credibility based on its website’s design. That means 7.5 out of 10 customers don’t trust your business without a good, optimized website.
Customers research more than ever nowadays, and they use your website to choose between you and a competitor. More on this point later.
Customers also use your website as a means of answering their questions before they talk to you personally. Not having a website can lead customers to think that you aren’t a legitimate business, because everyone has a website nowadays… right?
In turn, having a website builds trust and credibility with your customers.
More Customers Are Online
Fact, not fiction. There are more customers online than ever before.
In 2005, there was an estimated total number of 1.1 billion active users online.
In April 2020, this number has increased to roughly 4.57 billion active users online. That’s an increase of over 4 times the number of active users using the internet. There are an estimated 7.7 billion people in the world as of 2020, so over half of the world’s population is currently using the world wide web and that number continues to rise.
In 2020, the digital world found a new trend for customer interactions and engagements due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In fact, roughly 90% of customers stopped going to brick-and-mortar stores since the spread of the coronavirus.
COVID-19 has brought a new generation of users to the internet and is shaping the way we go about our day-to-day shopping experiences as customers. Since we don’t want to get sick and we absolutely want to stay healthy, where can we go for our purchases? The internet! An influx of customer traffic (of all ages) has taken to online shopping because of this pandemic.
Simply, this proves the point mentioned above that more customers are online now than before. So now is the perfect time to get your website live!
Your Competitors Are Online
If the previous section didn’t get you interested in building a new website, this surely will combat the notion that a website isn’t valuable in 2020.
Your competitors ARE online.
Do a search in whichever industry you’re in and I’ll guarantee that your competitors have an online presence thanks to a website, social media channel, or another form of an online footprint.
If you’re one of those vertical industries that is just so specific that you don’t have any direct competitors, then it’s still a good idea to have a website. You’ll be building your online presence and visibility with your customers before your new competitors enter the game.
So, if your customers are online and your competitors are online, then where do you think your customers are going?
You Need a Website to Appear on Searches
When you type in “digital marketing services” on Google, Bing, or another search engine, what are your results? You’ll probably get something like this:
Then, the results look like this:
The first result is called the Local Map Pack. A rich snippet from Google featuring the top 3 businesses in the local area for what you’re searching for.
The second screenshot is of organic search results. These are websites that are relevant to your search, according to Google.
If you do a search for your business name, services, or products, does your business pop up in either of these two main areas? If it doesn’t, then you’re losing a lot of your potential customers.
The blue text represents links directly to a website that is currently being indexed and displayed on Google. Only websites are visible here and each search term used in a customer’s search will display something different. If you don’t have a website, you won’t be listed in one of the most influential and important web displays in the world: Google’s search engine result pages (SERPs).
Customers who are trying to find information online or even directions to visit a location in person will use search engines like Google to find exactly what they are looking for. Search engines are the heart and brain of the internet and pull everything together to quickly and efficiently help customers make a decision. They are free but take specific measurements to ensure that you can rank for the proper search terms.
This is called SEO and is a unique but powerful strategy for increasing your online presence.
If you’re not appearing on SERPs and you’re not appearing in the Local Map Pack, then you’re not going to get leads or discovery online. At least, not without paying out a whole bunch of money for advertising on different websites that aren’t your own.
Your Website Can Be Linked to Various Online Assets
I’m throwing this in here because I’m an SEO professional and am always thinking about how to build your online credibility and presence.
Simply put, your website is connected to other digital assets customers can find online. This is extremely important!
Search engines like Google do an excellent job of aiding customers by gathering the appropriate information for them when they hop on the web. If they are looking for your business, service, or product search engines will try to connect them with the most appropriate source; this starts with your website.
On your website, you can directly connect your website with other assets you use such as YouTube, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, Yelp, and so much more. Across the web, search engines like Google will do everything they can to improve your visibility based on the connections you help make. This builds your credibility, trust, and visibility online.
An Optimized Website is the Best Website
Just having a website isn’t good enough. Sad right?
Many business owners believe that having any type of design for their website will lead to customers converting… this isn’t the case.
Sure, you’ll probably get a couple of phone calls and leads coming through with a terrible or outdated-looking website, but to continually grow your business, you must have a website that is built for the user.
What I mean by that, is you need an optimized website. An optimized website includes a great user experience, easy navigation, and good call-to-actions on all pages of the website to ensure that the customer can find what they want and proceed with their purchase if they want to continue with your business.
This is called the customer journey (or funnel) and is unique for each website. Depending on what industry you are in, how many products/services you offer, and a few other factors will decide what the optimal customer journey looks like. Without an optimized website, you’ll lose potential customers, fast!
What this also means is that your website will need to work properly and efficiently on all devices, not just computers. Mobile devices, tablets, and various computer screen sizes must be taken into consideration
57% of customers say that they are less inclined to recommend a business to friends and family if they don’t have a mobile-friendly website.
So, it’s not just about creating a website, it’s about creating a website that is optimized for all users on the web, no matter where they are coming from.
Retailers Must Have a Website
If you are a retailer without a website, especially during COVID-19, you’re sunk.
As we’ve mentioned before, customers aren’t going to physical storefronts due to health and safety regulations. Therefore, they are not going to be purchasing from stores unless it’s absolutely necessary. If you run an essential retail store, then you’re more likely to have customers come to your location.
All retailers should have an e-Commerce website. e-Commerce websites are designed to help customers find products quickly and make purchasing decisions by including product details and pricing upfront. Your e-Commerce store will be discoverable online as any other website, it just takes the right design to increase traffic and conversions.
Conclusion
The customer experience for purchasing is changing drastically as we continue through the years. Even at this point, the majority of purchases are made in online stores with grocery stores being the exempt party.
Having a website was necessary back in 2005, but it’s much more necessary now as your competitors continue to reap the benefits while you’re stuck struggling to get a customer to call in.
Don’t continue with the struggle. Don’t only rely on traditional mediums of old like newspaper ads and cold-calling to get your customers. Right now, websites are booming with customer traffic and you need to get on this rocket as soon as you can.
Now, if you’ve read this article and understand the benefits (website = conversions) of having a website in these modern days, then we’re here to help! Our web design team will help you create a unique website, designed for users on all devices to have the best customer experience, leading to more conversions. Who doesn’t want that?!
Look at our work and give us a call today once you’re ready to take the next step forward to ensure you never miss out on customer conversions ever again! This is your year!
