Why your business needs a website
A website is the foundation of a successful brand
How many times have you visited a brand’s website before making a purchasing decision? There are plenty of reasons why you’d do so:
- To check that they’re a legitimate and trustworthy business;
- To read testimonials and/or product reviews;
- To visit a specific product page for more information;
- To access their social media channels in order to check how frequently they post;
- To find their contact details.
A user-friendly, well designed website may be just one element of your overall online presence, but I would argue that it’s the hinge upon which the success of your business swings.
There are a number of reasons why businesses are hesitant to invest in a website:
- “How can we be certain that a website will bring in new customers and increase revenue?”
- “How do we update our website if we don’t have the IT skills?”
- “Will our website be seen by the right people?”
- “Can we afford the services of a professional?”
These are all legitimate questions we’d expect any company to ask us in the early stages of the decision-making process. Investing in a new website isn’t to be taken lightly!
To address these concerns, let’s look at what a website can bring to your brand.
Credibility
We’re more likely to trust brands with well designed, regularly updated websites than those that rely solely on a social media presence.
Well established, successful businesses have eye-catching websites that churn out fresh and engaging content. They clearly express how browsers can purchase products, ask questions, or learn more about the people behind the brand.
You can easily build credibility with a well-designed website that produces interesting and entertaining content in keeping with your brand values and ethos. You don’t want to risk potential customers picking the competition over you.
In a nutshell, a great website will legitimise your company.
#designtip – before making any decisions on your website, check out the sites of your competitors. Are they user-friendly? Do they contain up-to-date information? Do they exude professionalism?
Consistency
In a world where we’re surrounded by information, your brand needs to be consistent.
If you can clearly establish who you are and what you stand for, you’ll vastly increase the odds of successfully engaging with your target audience. You can do this with your website. Consider your site the foundation upon which you will build your brand.
On top of possessing a top notch site that looks great and clearly communicates your brand message, we recommend keeping your content up to date and engaging. This will help you rank highly on search engine results, drive traffic to your site, and boost revenue. Visibility is everything.
Your branding in all its formats (tone of voice, logo, values and ethos, colour palette) should feature across all of your online communications. Browsers should be able to recognise your branding immediately, so leave no room for doubt. Help browsers jump seamlessly from your social media platforms to your website and back again.
#designtip – assess your current brand touchpoints for consistency and compatibility. A brand touchpoint is every instance a customer comes into contact with your brand e.g. your Facebook page, your email signature, your shop front sign, your logo etc. Clear and consistent brand messaging will not only legitimise your business, it will build brand recognition.
Customer leads
The whole point of having a website that showcases your brand is to convert leads into customers.
When a browser scrolls down their Facebook feed and finds your ad, the first thing they’ll do before they make a purchase is visit your website. Why? Because they want to make sure that you are a legitimate business. They may also want to find out more about you before they part with their cash. Or they’ll click on the landing page link for more detailed product information. Once they’re on your site, they’ll look at your other products, read your blogs, and scan your ‘About us’ page.
Your website is a crucial part of the customer journey. It will take more than an Instagram post to convince them to become a loyal customer.
#designtip – before committing to a website package, sketch your ideal website and the elements you think it will need to help you convert leads into customers. That could be accessible product information, a detailed ‘About Us’ page (everyone loves a story), or convincing testimonials and reviews.
But what about the cost?
A good website is cost effective and offers a great return on investment. If it’s well designed, easy to navigate, and kept up to date, it will help you reach more customers and increase income.
It’s worthwhile engaging the services of a professional website designer who can customise it to suit your needs and give you the edge over your competitors. A DIY template site may seem like a good idea, especially in the early stages of your business, but can you risk it looking unprofessional, not to mention similar to thousands of other websites?
A custom-built website designed to reach your target audience is a worthwhile investment.
Our advice? Take your time and do the research before committing to anything. A good designer will be more than happy to address your concerns and answer any and all questions. They will be clear about the ins and outs of the website design process, including how you can manage site content and making your site mobile/laptop/tablet compatible.
#designtip – do your research before deciding on a website developer. Visit their website and check out their portfolio – do their style, ethos, and approach to the design process appeal to you? If you feel they are a good match, get in touch with them for an informal chat.
We hope this has cleared up any concerns you may have had about investing in a business website. Take the plunge and watch your business flourish.
At Lil Creative Studio, we’re passionate about helping businesses like yours tell their stories through eye-catching, meaningful visuals. If you need help with your design project, feel free to reach out – we’d love to help.
Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for more #designtips
Cover photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash
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