Since around 79% of Americans rely on online shopping for their needs, it’s important that your business has a web presence that converts. In fact, since 54% of consumers prefer online sales, this should be a top priority.

Some business owners view having a website as an unnecessary expense. They believe that their customers will find them through word-of-mouth or offline marketing materials, such as flyers and business cards. While these methods can be effective, they are no match for the power of the internet. 

Consider this: over 60% of consumers say they will not consider doing business with a company that doesn’t have a website. In other words, if your business doesn’t have a website, you could be missing out on a huge chunk of potential revenue. 

Not only do customers want to be able to find you online, but they also want to be able to learn about your products and services at their own pace. A website allows them to do just that.

Why Every Business Needs A Website

While the exact number of websites keeps changing every second, there are well over 1 billion sites on the world wide web (1,169,621,187 according to Netcraft’s March 2022 Web Server Survey compared to 1,167,715,133 in January 2022).

A website is one of the most important assets a business can have. It is a reflection of your brand and it should be treated as such. Here are some reasons why every business needs a website:

• A website gives you credibility. In today’s day and age, people are more likely to trust a business that has a website. It shows that you are a legitimate business and that you are invested in your brand.
• A website allows you to reach a wider audience. With a website, you are not limited by geographical boundaries. You can reach people from all over the world which can lead to increased sales and revenue.
• A website gives you the opportunity to build relationships with your customers. With a website, you can interact with your customers and get to know them on a personal level. This can lead to repeat business and loyalty from your customer base.
• A website allows you to showcase your products and services. With a website, you can give potential customers a taste of what you have to offer. This can lead to more sales and revenue for your business.
• A website allows you to stay open 24/seven. With a website, your customers can visit your site and make purchases at any time of the day or night. This can lead to increased sales and revenue for your business.

Advantages of having a website for small business

# Brand visibility and brand recognition: The first and most important benefit of having a website for your business is that it will help you achieve online visibility and brand recognition. Your website will be the first thing that people see when they search for your business online. Having a well-designed website with relevant and up-to-date content will help you stand out from your competitors and make a good impression on potential customers.  

# Easily promote online with a website: Having a website for your small business makes it easier to promote your business online. You can use various digital marketing channels to drive traffic to your websites, such as search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing (SMM), and email marketing. If you have a website, you can also use online advertising to promote your business. Online advertising allows you to target potential customers with ads that are relevant to their interests. For example, if you sell products or services related to gardening, you could target ads to people who have searched for gardening-related terms on Google.

# Reache wider audience 24/7: The website is always open and accessible to everyone, regardless of time and location. This means that you can reach a larger audience with your products and services. Customers can browse through your website at any time that is convenient for them, without having to worry about shop opening hours. In addition, you can also make deals with customers who are located far away from you. One more reason to create a web presence for your business is a reduction of distances. A website allows you to expand your target audience and make deals with customers who are located far away from you. This is a huge advantage that should not be underestimated. 

# Customer insights from user behavior on your website: This data is important to have because it helps you understand your customers better. It can guide your marketing, and product development, and improve the overall user experience on your website. All of this leads to increased sales and conversions for your business.

What Kinds of Companies Need Websites?

# E-commerce Business: Every company needs a website these days. Online business is growing fast. In this category, we can include many types of business – Agriculture, Manufacturing, Clothing -businesses that rely on the internet for customers and sales obviously need websites in order to sell their products. Retail businesses have to have an online presence to survive in today’s competitive market and to keep up with competitors.

# Education: The online learning industry is constantly expanding, and automation services will be its future. The digital landscape is changing quickly, and implementing processes through online channels and technologies is becoming easier, faster, and more comfortable.

E-learning platforms make both teachers' and students' jobs easier. A customized website makes it simple to share and receive knowledge. It can be done on its own or with a website builder.

There are many online teaching sites in the e-learning industry that assist creators in making use of advanced features and easily sharing knowledge. Many online education providers also prefer to collaborate with a good online quiz maker.

# Food and Catering Services: This is one of the most rapidly expanding business sectors. It's no surprise that it's on the list of businesses that require a website. Everyone enjoys food. That is why it is one of the most popular online commodities. When looking for a place to eat, most people look for the best-reviewed restaurants on the internet. That is why food vendors and restaurants publish their menus and services on their websites. Customers can place orders and have their food delivered to their home or office using the simple "click to call" option.

# Hospitality Industry: A website can make all the difference. If you want to be successful in your business and make it easier for customers to find you, you need a website that is professional, interactive, and easy to use. The better your website is, the more likely people are to know about you through word of mouth or searching engines such as Google and Facebook.

It’s only natural that when people travel to a new city, they stay at hotels. These travelers may book their rooms online ahead or even plan entire trips based on what they read on hotel review sites. If you don’t have an established website and aren’t posting ads online, how will your customers find you? Your hotel needs to be visible in the hotel category so that people can search for it easily.

# Construction and Real Estate Developers: A high-quality website built from scratch can serve multiple functions. The site can showcase your current projects and accomplishments, as well as provide a glimpse into the company’s long-term goals. If you are in the construction industry, an attractive website will allow potential clients to engage more easily with the brand and position your business as an industry expert.

# Travel Agencies: A travel website will present your company as a dependable tour provider and will provide your full service to your clients 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The convenience of booking services online is provided by automated booking systems. With a few clicks, you can book cancellations, rebookings, and changes to existing reservations on your website.

# Health Industry: Sometimes, people need help or answers in the middle of the night. Having a website means the information they need is always available and all in one spot, no need to call. This is especially important for hospitals since sometimes patients need things like directions in a hurry. It’s also great when you can let people know if they are on the right path with their health issues by writing this information out clearly so that they do not have to look it up later. 

# Service Providers:  Service providers are individuals who provide any kinds of freelance or creative services like writing, graphics design, social media management, virtual assistance, blogging, copywriting, make-up artists, transcription, data computing, project management, and much more. Whether or not you are in a specialized niche, you need a website that can attract people who are interested in the services you offer. Creating a brand website allows service providers to increase their market share by providing greater value to potential customers."

Conclusion

Every business regardless of size and industry needs a website. The old mindset that having a website is not important is no longer applicable. Having an effective website that effectively represents your business will help you compete and stay relevant in today's disruptive world.