It is a different world we live in today, it is a digital world. We all are dependent on our mobile phones and internet to communicate, store data, seek information as well as purchase essential goods and services. The consumers are no longer looking for products in the market rather they are seeking information from the virtual world. Local consumers prefer to check out the location of a store, availability of products and compare them with competitors. Smart phones have paved the way for informed purchase decisions.
Therefore, every business needs to be present online to reach out to its potential customers. If a business is not online these days, it is as good as being nonexistent. It doesn’t matter if you are a plumber, an electrician, a hair stylist, a small business owner or an entrepreneur, you got be online to make your business grow and make its presence felt. All your customers are online and if you are not present out there, then you are losing out in a big way. Let us look at top 5 reasons why a small business needs a website.
Online Visibility: Search Engine Land’s recent Local Consumer Review Survey studied changes in consumer behavior since 2010. The findings reveal that majority of the consumers use the internet for search for local businesses and 72% make their buying decisions based on the online product reviews. This confirms that it is essential for small businesses to own a website. Gone are the days of Yellow Pages and phone books, now people trust the internet for all kinds of local searches. A website ensures that your business will be always found online.
- Competitive Advantage: Most of your competitors are online or may be planning to go online, so you need to pull up your socks and reach out to your potential and existing customers before your competition does. A website creates a distinct identity for your business on the web and makes people sit back and notice it. You can stay ahead of competition by providing product details, reviews, images and location map for consumers to trace you easily.
- Professional Credibility: A business website helps you to build your brand online and increase your online reputation.A good looking website with engaging content will surely capture the attention of your consumers. Most consumers would prefer purchasing from a store that has a well-managed and appealing website. A good website assures the consumers of good quality of the products and services offered by the owner and his dedication towards the business.
- Informing Consumers: A website helps you to inform your target consumers about your business, your products and services, pricing, reviews, promotions and offers. It gives you a platform to advertise your business in the most cost-effective manner. You can easily inform consumers about various offers, new products available, freebees etc. to lure them. This information will be available to your customers through the year and entire day and they can check it out whenever they wish.
- Reach Bigger Markets: With a website as your marketing tool, you have endless opportunities to reach out to your customers wherever they are. You will not be limited to local consumers but your target audience will include consumers from all over the world. You can ship your products to any part of the world and earn bigger profits from bigger markets. You can increase your business manifold at minimum cost. A website makes your products globally available and you can certainly tap into potential international markets.
Thus, it becomes extremely significant for a small business owner to build a website and earn higher profits in this digital era.
