Only a business owner can make a decision whether a website is needed.
I have been going to a Mexican restaurant for a few months now, they started in an old fast food restaurant. The first time my wife and I went, the owner was telling all his customers that they would be moving soon to a bigger and better location. After a few months went by, we went back to the restaurant, but there was a note on the door about their move.
If that restaurant wasn’t the only one that served fried fish, we would have gone to another restaurant nearby. But, I got on my phone and looked for a website to see if there was more info or new address, to my surprise there was no information about it. So, I decided to get out of my car and read the note, the address was listed there and we were able to find it.
After we had our dinner, I approached the owner and asked if there was a website being developed for his restaurant. The owner replied “no, but I have a guy that promised 20,000 views per day on Facebook”, I offered him to send him a video explaining how a website would benefit him. But he said no thank you.
Just an example to answer why a website is necessary.
Do I need a website?
A website should be considered as a functional and communication tool about your business, it should not be considered as an advertising method.
If you want to:
- Reach a broader range of clients or customers
- Tell them what your business is about
- Make a good first impression
- Be a step ahead of your competitors.
Then a website is a MUST for your business.
A website will tell your visitors about your business, why you are better than the rest, what is that you offer, how to contact you, where is located, and enable them to give you feedback.
How much would it cost?
Think about how much it costs for you to place ads in newspapers, yellow pages, billboards, magazines, and others. Once your ad goes out, it is gone for good, unless you pay again for another round.
Now, think of having a website as an investment, which will evolve with time and can be modified regularly. The highest cost is building a website, not acquiring a website name (domain name) or hosting (server where website is published).
The cost of building a website can range from $200 to $1000, depending on the size and function-ability of the website. But if you think about it again, is probably less than what you pay once or twice a year for paper ads. Therefore, is a onetime investment.
Purchasing a domain name and hosting is the least expensive, both at the same place or in separate sources. Sometimes the hosting company will offer you a free domain name with the purchase of hosting.
- A domain name can range from $10 to $30 per year, the price depends on the source and name popularity.
- The hosting depending on the provider, it could range from $30 to $50 a month. The price depends on the hosting package selected, but some hosting companies offer discounts if you get yearly packages.
You can look at it like buying a cell phone and service; the phone is yours to keep, but you have to pay your monthly service.
Why should I go through all the trouble, if I already have a web page in another website?
This means that you created a Facebook page, wordpress.com page, or in an industry website. Or you have a website through Wix, VistaPrint, and other companies like it.
That means your web page is not unique for your brand, your business is probably in a portal with all of your competition. If a potential customer is looking for your services in Google, the portal is going to be the one found and not your business website.
Having a website through Wix, VistaPrint and other like it, restrict you from making your website visible to the public and make the first pages of the search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, and more.
Yeah, but I do not sell anything on the internet?
You do sell something, you sell your brand name.
85% of consumers search on-line for services provided by local business, that is where your website takes action and reels in those consumers and turns them in to customers.
If your website resolves what the consumer is looking for, that is one consumer that will be coming through your front door. Prepared to pay for the services or solutions your business has to offer.
I have a friend or family member that knows how to make a website.
Building a website is more than designing an attractive full of images and text.
We can look at it like a great theater play, behind the scenes there are multiple of factors that made it a great play. On a website, there are many factors behind the pages like: search engine optimization, speed at which the pages load, user friendly, codes and tags. Not everyone has the experience to make all of those factors work in a synchronized manner to benefit from them.
A website is not for my customers, I rather talk to them in person.
Is great to know that you care about customers so much that you rather speak to them in person, but you can always do that with a website and social media.
The internet is a neutral ground for everyone, which makes any consumer look for what they need and decide upon the information within a website content. When a consumer searches in the internet, they are looking for soothing they need, not a personal relationship. The business consumer relationship comes with the quality of service you provide, enforcing the information and content on the website.
A website is an invitation to new potential customers and returning ones.
Once I have a website, what do I do next?
After you get a website published, with all the information and content that will attract new and returning customers. You let your expert take care of the rest, or come to our group to receive tips weekly.
Remember, there are thousands and thousands of people searching in your location and surrounding areas, internet users will find your business. You don’t have to go looking for them, you just have to have the information on your website for them to contact you or come to your location.
Conclusion
Having a website is an investment that can give you a return a thousand times if done properly.
Do not worry, we are here to help you. If you are ready to start your journey to expand your business, you can contact us or keep following the Local Business Internet Optimization Group to keep learning.