Does a business need a website?

That’s a good question. And the answer is not as obvious as it seems. According to a recent survey performed by Clutch, 46% of small businesses do not have a corporate website. If so many companies refuse to bother themselves with online presence, why should you? Good Old Ways The top reason for lacking a website is a strong belief it is irrelevant to a particular business or industry. Some people are convinced the web is meant for IT studios and transnational corporations, not for a local steakhouse they are running. Its clients are offline, so what’s the point in spending a fortune on a fancy website? You can just create a Facebook account or sign up to Instagram. Plus, there is still a good old word-of-mouth, right? Sure, but such approach will cost you much more than the coolest website one can imagine.

Numbers And Figures Today’s customers are not what they used to be 10 years ago. Luckily or unfortunately. Now they worship Google. If it cannot find you, your business doesn’t exist. Sounds a bit exaggerated? Take a look at some stats provided by LocalVox and Espresso Digital:

• 70% of households use the web when shopping for local goods and services;
• 91% of people have visited a store because of online experience;
• 50% of smartphone owners who search for local stores go to one within 24 hours, and almost 20% of them make a purchase on the same day;
• 37% of adults use the Internet to find a store at least once in a month;
• 69% of small businesses with corporate websites are having annual sales ranging from $1,000,000 to $2,490,000. Are you ready to give up on these perspectives? Keep relying on regulars, then.

In Web We Trust It is important to understand that a website is not just a digital showcase, but a working tool that sells, informs and promotes 24/7. Never late, never tired, never wrong – your own corporate house elf. Isn’t that a worthy investment? In addition to making money, attracting clients and expanding your reach from several blocks to the whole planet, a website boosts your credibility. People no longer trust “offline” companies or “dead”, penny-a-line pages. “If they don’t care about their own website, I bet they do everything in a slipshod manner,” that’s what an average customer thinks. Pretty fair. What about Facebook? Isn’t it just as good as a website, only cheaper? Well, just till you look closer:

• a FB account can’t be found without adding “Facebook” to the query;
• it doesn’t actually belong to you;
• 70% of Europeans use the Internet, but only 26% of them have Facebook.

To find out more, read our post “Facebook vs website”. As you see, there’s a lot to be considered. Wrapping Up Of course, your business can run well enough without being online. For some time, at least. However, a website opens a door to brand new opportunities. Do you want to embrace them? Then call us and get an outstanding site that will make you proud. Contact us to get more information!