We get asked this question all the time, “Do I actually need a professional website for my small local business?” Our answer is always a big ol’ “Yes”. Actually, if you’re a small local business, you’re in more need of an effective professional website than your big-league competitors. Here’s why.
Right now, over a third of people who utilize a local business discovered that business online. Whatever service or product your company provides, having a professional website that can compete is essential. A decade ago, it was looking pretty bleak for small businesses. If you ran a mom-and-pop grocery store, for example, unless people knew about your store from neighbors and friends, they were probably going to opt for Walmart. Today, businesses big and small are on an equal playing field, with fast, professional-grade websites playing at an advantage. It gets even better! Right now Google gives some major advantages to local businesses. It’s a better time now than ever to invest in a professional website for your business.
Here’s a few reasons we encourage local businesses to utilize Stormhill Media’s web services. A professional-quality website allows you to:
1. Build Trust
Your website is your storefront. It should be attractive, inviting, accessible, and communicate your brand at a glance. A business website, whether good or bad, will tell potential customers all they need to know about whether or not they should use your service. That’s why it’s so important to have a credible business website. You can’t make a first impression a second time.
2. Get Noticed and Keep Attention
Over a third of local business patrons learned about that business through a Google search. You could have a drop-dead gorgeous website, but if it doesn’t rank well with Google, it’s dead in the water. We know that utilizing the best SEO and page-speed methods are half the game when it comes to having an effective small business website.
3. Compete (Even With Pro-League Brands)
On the internet, everyone’s on an even playing field. What gives you the advantage here is not how big your business is, but how effective your website is. Those small business “David and Goliath” stories we hear about are a real deal, and they start with a professional website.
4. Sell Through Online Channels
Getting noticed is one thing, but turning website-visitors into paying customers is the end game. A quality website isn’t just a pretty thing, it’s a marketing tool used to leverage sales. Whether you want people to buy your products or services directly from your website, or to contact your company, making the conversion process easy is what we do.
5. Make Contact with Customers
We know just how important the relationship between business and customer is, that’s why having an open bridge of communication is essential. With a professional website, you can learn more about your customers through: email access, a company newsletter list, online surveys, and web-analytics tools. Making it easy for your customers to make contact with you through your website will help your company adapt and grow to meet demand.
6. Utilize Social Networks Productively
Social media can be an incredibly powerful tool to strategically tap huge numbers of potential customers. With an effective strategy, likes and shares convert into website traffic which converts into sales. Knowing how to harness social media to increase your website performance is a game changer.
7. Take Advantage of Convenience-Culture
At the end of the day, having an easy-to-find and easy-to-navigate website is what people are looking for. Right now, the distance between your business and a potential customer is measured by convenience. Closing that distance is a matter of having an accessible, quality website. It holds true that customer convenience converts.
Next Steps
We at Stormhill Media value our local clients and will intentionally work with you on a personal basis. We realize the online marketing world can be a jungle, which is why we’re here to offer our expertise. With over a decade of experience in web design and web marketing, we’re happy to help set your business up for success. If you’re ready to take the next step, contact us today about our web services. For more info, visit our about page to learn more about us, or see our web-design portfolio to preview our past work. We’re excited to partner with you!