We hear this question all the time and in the age of social media we completely understand it. However, there is a lot of value of owning your own content and providing a consistent place for customers to learn more about your brand.
Five reasons you should have your own website:
ESTABLISH CREDIBILITY AND BUILD TRUST. Even with all the social media options available, interested customers will still use Google to learn more about your business. This is your opportunity to prove to customers that your business exists and make your company appear more reliable and professional. It is a great opportunity to establish trust by displaying a professional appearance, providing information about yourself, and sharing testimonials or case studies. Chances are, if people cannot find your business on the internet, they might find someone else instead.
SHOWCASE YOUR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. Your website is the best place to display what you offer, whether it is services or physical products. Your website is completely yours and, in the world of social media and review sites, it is the only place you actually own all of the content. If Instagram or Facebook makes a change and disable your account, what do you have left? Use your website to showcase what you offer, and make it easy for customers to learn more about your offerings.
REINFORCE YOUR BRAND. Branding is a differentiator; highlight yours on your own website by not only displaying your brand elements (logo, colors, style) but also sharing your values and connect with your customers on a personal level. Have headshots of yourself and any team members, use your website copy to create your brand story, and showcase what makes you different from competitors.
DIRECT CUSTOMERS ON HOW TO CONTACT YOU. Your website is a great place to inform customers on the best way to contact you. You can use a contact form, or simply share your phone number and/or e-mail. Make it easy for people to contact you by including the information in your header or footer, or a "Contact" page with contact details.
ENABLE SEARCH VISIBILITY THROUGH SEARCH ENGINES. The best way to show up on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) is to have a website that Google can crawl and index. By developing a website that is well organized, easy to navigate, and informational, you increase your odds on ranking with search engines, and therefore making it easier for customers to find your business.
The good news? Building your own website is easy and affordable. Many hosting sites like Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress offer templates that can get you started. And, of course, if you don't want to do it by yourself, there are agencies like ours that can do it for you!
