Why a Website Should Be Your #1 Business Priority in 2024
Having an online presence in 2024 is vital for the success of any small business, especially service providers. To compete with others in your space, you must have a way for your prospects to find you.
The best way to do that is to focus on growing your reach online, and I’m not talking about social media. I’m talking about focusing on the quality and reach of your website.
Small businesses used to find success alone through word of mouth and advertising. Today, buyers seek out companies online to confirm the validity of the business and whether it is the right one for them.
Recently, my husband and I were on the hunt for the perfect rocker/recliner for our baby’s nursery. The problem is, I refuse to buy a $1,000+ chair that I haven’t sat on... They can’t be trusted.
How would I know if it’s too firm, too soft, or if my feet don’t touch the ground? 🙅♀️
So, I did what millennials do best: I went to my local mom-only Facebook group in search of recommendations. It came down to two places: Pottery Barn Kids or a local furniture store (that shall not be named here because I’m not in the business of bashing companies for their websites on this blog).
💻The first thing I did was go to both websites to check them out. When I visited the local furniture store's website, I was shocked to find a website that looked like it came straight out of 2003. In this case, I only gave it a chance because these Facebook moms gave this place glowing recommendations.
The Importance of a Strong Online Presence
Your online presence directly correlates to your reach in your industry or community. Focusing on its growth allows you to build brand awareness and allows more potential customers to actually find your business.
Brand awareness builds credibility and trust with consumers before they ever interact with you directly. Consumers want to feel like they know you and trust you before they are willing to invest money with you.
If I had encountered the furniture store in a Google search without the recommendations I received, I would have never even considered it based on their website.
💸 I would have gone to Pottery Barn Kids, and they wouldn’t have earned my business.
Competing against a store like Pottery Barn is hard because of its massive reach. Everyone knows them and already has an opinion on whether they are credible or whether they shop there or not.
This local store’s website didn’t stand a chance against Pottery Barn’s website. So, it’s safe to say people are going there, keeping them in business strictly through word of mouth. While that is a testament to their 30 years of business, it also means they are certainly losing out on potential customers.
In fact, 97% of people say they use Google to find a local business, which is a top reason why relying on word of mouth or social media is not a good marketing strategy and why your website will be your primary digital asset in 2024.
🔑4 Key Benefits of Having a Website
As a consumer, you are highly aware of the increase in online shopping. If you’re anything like me, you actually prefer it. But, have you given much thought to all the times you go to a website seeking a service you are interested in, not necessarily to make a purchase right then?
You should take note of the times you look for a new hair stylist or nail technician or look for an SEO strategist for your business because it happens more frequently than you think. This makes YOUR website equally as important as an e-commerce website.
Let’s dive into how a website can benefit your business in 2024.
Around the Clock Accessibility and Convenience
Websites are like Waffle House, they’re always open. They only close for maintenance, and they might not even close then, which gives consumers 24/7 access.
This allows a person in a different timezone, a night owl, or a nursing mom up at 3:00 a.m. to find your business outside your typical business hours. The ability to access your business at all hours increases your reach significantly.
Consumers also crave convenience, such as DoorDash, Instacart, and Amazon. We are accustomed to instant gratification and do not like to work hard for anything online.
Some stats:
70% of consumers say they would pay more if they knew the experience would be convenient
75% of consumers would do business with a competitor if they knew they were more convenient to do business with
Having a website means prospects are willing to do business with you rather than your competitor because it is convenient and they are willing to pay more. It’s a win-win.
Here are a few ways you can make your website convenient:
Have a clear and easy way to contact you
Allow prospects to schedule a call with you right from your website
Make signing up for your email list simple
Branding and Identity
As I said previously, Pottery Barn’s brand awareness is goals, right? They need to stay relevant and have a good brand image, but consumers KNOW what Pottery Barn is and what it sells. However, we do need to work on our brand awareness.
To put it simply, get your brand in front of more eyeballs.
In order for consumers to start recognizing your brand, you need to stay consistent with your brand image. This means following your brand guidelines and using the same colors, fonts, and logos everywhere you appear online, including your website. Be clear and consistent, always.
Another major aspect of your brand image is consistently showcasing your services and values. Showing up one way on social media and another on your website also leads to confusion and diminishes your credibility.
Remember, a confused buyer makes no decision.
Think back to the local furniture store. If they had a consistent brand image on their website, I would have found them to be more professional and legitimate, increasing my desire to go to their store. In your case, this would increase your prospect's desire to take the next step in their buyer journey.
Lead Generation
Having a home on the internet to showcase your services and offerings lets consumers get to know your business beyond word of mouth. It gives people the chance to get to know you, what you do, and your process.
In a recent blog post, we discussed at length the four different buyer personas and why your website should have CTAs catering to their buying preferences, which ties directly to your lead generation.
If your website is making a conscious effort to attract buyers of all kinds, your leads are bound to increase, and leads = more💲.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
I know, I know, we are all sick of hearing about SEO, but did you know that 93% of all website traffic comes from search engines?
Well, good news, friend. This isn’t a blog post about how to improve your SEO because, honestly, I’m no expert. However, I am here as a web designer to encourage you to continually improve your website by updating content, images, and services or testing and perfecting your keywords.
Your website should always be evolving. There is no set-it-and-forget-it stuff when it comes to your website and its relation to SEO. Search engines consistently crawl your website to understand how to populate it in a search.
Updating your website gives the search engine something new and fresh to review and another way to understand where you should show up in search results.
So, just like David and Moira had to learn how to fold in the cheese, business owners have to learn about their website's SEO in 2024. Understanding and investing in your website's SEO will lead to increased traffic and, ultimately, more sales.
🔮The Future of Your Website
Focusing on your website this year is vital to your business's growth and success. If you choose to invest in a professional website, it can increase your brand awareness, credibility, and searchability online, leading to increased leads and revenue.
Don’t miss out on the 81% of consumers who search online for a business before making a purchase. Whether you need a full website build or a redesign/refresh, it will be a worthwhile investment. Not to mention, you’ll be proud as heck of your corner of the internet.
I’d love to help you bring your website's vision to life in 2024. Check out my services here or contact me for a free discovery call below.
New around here? Welcome!
I’m Katie, a Squarespace website designer focused on building websites for service-based business owners.
I’d love to stay in touch if you liked what you read.
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