Many designers and developers who are just starting out try to get new website clients by approaching businesses via cold calling or sending cold emails. Often, these business owners don't feel it's a necessary investment at the time–especially since they weren't the ones seeking out their services. In fact, many of them are doing pretty well in their businesses without one, making most of their sales from their social media reach. Although social media reach is important, it should not be the “bread and butter” of your business. Check out these three (3) reasons you should have a website for your business:
1. To Show Credibility
One of the first and most important reasons you should have your own website is for business credibility. The first thing people do to learn about a person or a company is to search them online. To show your business is a legitimate one, at the very least you want to have an online presence that includes your own website. Your website should give your potential clients information about who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. It should also prominently display your contact information so they can reach you with any inquiries. Not only is it important to look credible to your future clients, but also to any other businesses with whom you'll need to conduct business. Whether you're signing up for an email service provider or opening up a bank account, they'll want to know if you have a website.
2. To Have a Central Hub for Your Community
If you've been paying any attention to social media trends, you know that as new social media apps and sites are introduced, others become obsolete or unpopular over time. How many of you still use your old MySpace page? Exactly! With trends changing so often and new social media platforms popping up and becoming the norm every few months (it seems), it makes sense to have a central location–especially one that YOU own–to interact with the community you've spent time building. There you can engage with them, inform them about new products and services, and give them a tailored experience.
Relying solely on social media is leaving yourself at the mercy of the platform and whatever changes they decide to make–whether it's to their Terms & Conditions, community standards, or the algorithm. **insert eyeroll emoji** I have heard plenty of horror stories of accounts being shutdown for one reason or another, and the business or brand has to start completely from scratch with a new account. It may not be a big deal to someone with only a few hundred followers, but if you've taken years to build up a following of several thousand–or even a few million–that could really sting! It could take several more years (and maybe even the help of a social media marketer) to get those numbers (and engagement) back up to where they were initially in order to make an impact in your business. And regarding algorithm changes–you could have been reaching thousands per post–yet they do a few tweaks to their platform and all of a sudden you've got crickets.
3. To Have Ownership of Your Content
Having your own website allows you to have ownership of your content and make your own rules. As stated above, many times accounts are shut down, leaving the owners of the accounts in a panic, simply because the platform felt they violated some part of their often vague “terms of service.” There have also been instances where that wasn't the case, but the account was still suspended for some ambiguous reason. Having your own site allows you to be more in control. You'll be able to create the content you want without fear of being shut down for some arbitrary reason.
Taking the list of reasons above, consider why it would be beneficial to have your own website. Who would you like to reach? What would you like your site's purpose to be? Is it simply informative? Will it be to get client bookings? Will you sell physical or digital products? Answering these questions can help you determine what type of website that's best suited for your business needs. If you need help answering these questions or even getting your site off the ground, book a free consultation today. We'd love to help you with your vision!
