How Can A Website Impact Your Business

Having a quality website has many impacts that can benefit your business. It displays and strengthens the commitment you have to your business and customers. In recent studies small businesses that have websites are to be seen yielding high revenues, averaging over $1 million more per year in sales than small businesses that are not online. Without obtaining an online presence you may be limiting the exposure and growth of your business. 

Here is a list of 10 benefits of having a website for your business. 

1. Online Visibility - Online visibility is essentially the visual presence of a brand in the consumer environment. By establishing an online web presence this opens other channels of opportunity that may not have been considered. Most consumers perform research online prior to spending their money and an inviting website will allow them to not only locate a business but browse the products and services offered. Having a website provides the opportunity for consumers to purchase online which will also bridge the gap for potential customers that may not be local but are still interested in your brand. 

2. Build A Reputation - Once a business is established online it is now in the hands of potentially thousands of new customers. The website allows control of the brand's reputation and allows a business to compete with others that are also local and in the same industry. Prove that the brand is reliable and trustworthy by posting reviews, testimonials, and comments from customers. Engage with the audience and build genuine relationships. Having a website allows the power to become the voice of what consumers hear, see, and think about the brand. 

3. Generate Sales - A website is a great marketing asset in our current digital age. The majority of consumers search online prior to making a purchase, in fact, 97% of consumers won't consider a business that does not have a website. It can be simple to lock in these consumers by first generating conversation around the brand and having a place for people to come. People are already doing the research so put the business in a position to be seen. Having a website will generate more traffic to a business, and with quality content, this translates to leads and ultimately sales.

4. Improve Customer Relationship - An easy way to engage with the audience is to integrate social media on the website. This helps traverse followers directly to the brand. The benefit of this is it allows one to prove better customer service by being present for their needs. Visitors have the option to request informational content directly from you and with the right content, questions can be answered immediately. Interested consumers can use online forms to communicate, send feedback, and converse about the brand. Even if it is not possible to realistically be available 100% of the time the use of autoresponders is a great way to thank a customer for taking the time to consider the brand and ensure future engagement. Having a website will certainly have a positive impact and strengthen the customer relationship.

5. Showcase Your Work - A website can be used as an online portfolio. An open showcase to display your body of work and gain advantages over the competition. To increase the impact of your portfolio, utilize high resolution and vibrant images, and include a few testimonials from customers who you have worked with previously.

6. Share Information Quick - Imagine having the tools, staff, availability and the funds to have a brick and mortar store open 24/7, a website is just that! It allows you to accommodate consumers day or night and all the tools you need to spark interest, share content and announce updates are at your fingertips. A website is a super effective way to quickly share information with your customers and it can be published for all to see instantly. 

7. Gather Email Addresses - Although having an online presence is great successful businesses need to keep consumers engaged and interested. Ask yourself, what are you doing to stay in touch with current customers? And what are you doing to capture the attention of newly interested consumers? The answer is easy, add the option for visitors to the website to subscribe to a newsletter or have a contact form they can fill out to capture contact information. Once you have a list of emails, create an email marketing schedule and send out informational emails, inform them of any sales or simply send engaging content to improve the relationship. Gathering email addresses from the website will help grow your brand to its full potential. 

8. Easy Access for New Customers - A website is the easiest way for a new customer to find you. A good domain name can be spread easily by word of mouth, it can be printed on business cards or be found organically through an online search. Many times when talking with friends and family about where something was purchased it is followed up with, do they have a website? If the answer is yes, this is an effortless way to gain new customers and showcase your brand. 

9. Gain Consumer Insight - With the use of analytic tools and website stats this allows the opportunity to identify who your typical customer is, how they found you, what they like, and adapt your business to fit consumer needs. The range of data available can also help to better understand how social media channels affect a brand, it will highlight opportunities for improvement in different aspects of your business.

10. Improve Business Credibility -  Branding gives your business its identity and makes it easy for customers and clients to understand what it is all about. A professionally made website shows you are serious about your business and encourages partnerships and collaborations. Prove your professionalism and authority using blogs, valuable content and information you provide directly from the website.

The number of possible benefits from a website are endless depending on your business goals, the one thing for sure is without having a website for your business, it is potentially harming your brand. Keep in mind, relevant, consistent, and easily accessible content online are the keys to becoming successful.