7 Benefits of a Website

Nancy Author

"For any business, the website is the face of the business where customers and potential customers get an idea of what the company stands for and how unique its products and services are." 

- Allied Technologies  

Whether you're a small business owner, company, or non-profit organization, it's crucial that you have a website because it is one of the best ways to manage and build your brand's digital identity.


A website is the centralized hub of your marketing activities; it is your digital real estate - your home base on the web that connects with multiple marketing channels as those channels connect back to base. For example, you share a link to a blog post on social media. This outbound effort, in turn, generates inbound traffic when followers click on the link and land back on your hub to read the blog post.

Your own “home” on the web allows you to be found by new global audiences online. 

Consumers used to be convinced by radio, television, and newspaper advertising. But in our digitalized era, your potential clients buy differently. Empowered by the internet and mobile devices in everyone's hands, today, we research everything and make our choices based on the trusted information available online.

These days, the buyer-seller relationship is more transparent, making it imperative to have a website that gives consumers a place to get an impression of your brand. There are many more benefits to having a website marketing hub.


Here are seven important yet overlooked reasons. 

1. The Buyer's Journey 

Your website is a central information source for anyone looking to find out more about your company. 
Consumers researching during the AIDA buying cycle have questions. They're trying to determine the best solution for their pain points. 

Content is the perfect way to educate your potential buyers and help them make informed decisions. 

But without a website, you miss out on a chance to answer their questions, thus, by default, "handing over" potential buyers to your competitor whose content showed up on the search results.

2.  Low-cost Marketing

A website is a budget-friendly way to market your business and complement word-of-mouth campaigns. When you give people your business cards or post updates on Social Media, most of us want to visit your website to learn more about you and your business. Unlike printed marketing materials like brochures, you can quickly change, add or update your business information without extra costs. While we are there, we may even buy a product or service without you having to call us or receive us in your office. 

3. One-Time Investment

Having a website costs less than renting a shop, unlike back in 2002 when I got my first website built (and it almost cost me an arm and a leg.) Today you can get a professional-looking 1-page website done for as low as €500. You can even build a functional, simple one until you're ready to upgrade. The only maintenance is the yearly domain name and minimal hosting charges. And between 4 – 8 hours a month for optional updates. You'll recover your investment very quickly. Definitely a long-term worthwhile investment, so “Too expensive” is no longer an excuse. Not having a website is what's expensive; 

A website helps your local and global clients find you on Google and other search engines because, according to 2022 HubSpot statistics, 67% of the buyer's journey is digital. Not having a website is akin to being the best-kept secret in your industry.

4.  Professionalism

Some people argue they're on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, et al., so they don't need a website. This not only looks amateurish, but it's like building your house on someone else's land. Social Media rules change every day. Facebook can decide tomorrow they no longer want you doing business on their “property.” They can “evict/cancel” or decide to charge us to use their digital space. But a website is your own virtual little real estate on the interwebs. Your “home” is where you want to build your brand long-term and establish professional credibility. 

5.  Loyal Clients and Brand Ambassadors

Studies show that a client who has purchased from you in the past is more likely to buy again than a new one. With a website, you can reward your existing clients with special offers and get their feedback on how to serve them better. Happy clients will likely remain loyal and recommend you to their friends and family. It's also easier to ask them to share a website link via email or Social Media instead of giving them extra business cards and flyers that land in some dusty drawer or get binned.

6.  Build Trust With Consumers 

People are not always ready to buy when they visit a new website. They don't know you or your business. But you can welcome new visitors with a valuable free download. And if you keep in touch and add value via emails, you build trust. The day your prospects need your products or services, instead of going to Google, they're more likely to you because you now have a relationship and you are on their radar.

People buy from people they know, like, and trust. A valuable free offer on your website (aka Lead Magnet) not only generates leads. It also sets the foundation for your sales funnel and facilitates higher conversions.

7. Sales and Marketing

Finally, your marketing hub is a part of the marketing team and as important as anyone that works in the sales department. The fact is a website works even harder because it is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It's ready to answer any questions a potential buyer has from anywhere around the globe! 

For many small business owners and freelancers, cash flow can be a challenge. We only invest in our businesses when we think it's worth it. Maybe you feel a website is not necessary. But these seven reasons demonstrate how not having a business site is harming your brand because you're missing visibility opportunities to get global clients and make more sales.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE

Does your brand have an optimized online presence? 

A content audit will easily answer that question. Learn more here.