Top 5 reasons why you must have a website

Some people honestly think that you don’t need a website. Now, they could be serious, or perhaps misinformed or just covering up for the fact that they think websites are an expensive thing and think that they can’t afford one. Here’s the five most common reasons I’ve discovered that people give for not having a website. Let me know if you can think of anymore.

• I’ve got enough work already and I don’t need it
• I’ve survived this long without one so I don’t need one.
• Websites are not necessary anymore
• I’ve got Facebook/Instagram so I don’t need it
• It costs too much and social is free

Lets address the first two. Maybe that is true but things change and like it or not, we will lose customers. They can move, go out of business, change their mind, may have found someone better/cheaper/faster, have no further need for your service or die! Sometimes industries change, contracts change and so on. Things do change and you must be prepared for that.

What about the next two? I think these myths got started by people selling social media services! They are myths based on skewed opinions an not any sort of actual fact. If it were true, the billions of websites would have disappeared by now and the demand for websites would be shrinking, not growing.

Also, remember that your social media account can be hacked or shut down overnight. You don’t own it whereas you own your website. Imagine losing all communication, all of your posts an photos in one hit. What then?

And finally…social is free. Correct. But also social done badly is not much better than no social. They have different purposes. Websites do not have to be expensive. Sure they can cost anywhere from a few hundred for something really basic to tens of thousands. Most can be done for not a lot of money. Always think of your website as an investment and an asset. Unlike most things in life, including ads, once the money is spent, it’s gone. Your website will be there for years, working for you day and night. You’ve invested and it keeps giving back. Let’s say you invested $2000 in your website and it lasted five years. That business asset working 24/7 for you, cost you $7.69/week! I think you’ll agree, it’s insanely good value.

Why you must have a website.

1. Legitimacy. Let’s face it. What’s the first thing you when looking for something? You go online. If you don’t have a website, in the eyes of the customer YOU DON’T EXIST! If you don’t have a website, you’re not a real business. After all how could any real business not have a website in this day and age?!!
2. Credibility. Because you exist, your potential clients can look you up. They get a chance to see what you do and what you have to offer. You can tell them about yourself and your company and how you can best serve them. Showcase your products or services, have contact information, share your stories and testimonials and so on.
3. Dated and out of touch. The last thing you need is to appear dated and out of touch. Not having, or just as bad, having an old clunky website is damaging. Looking tired and out of touch is not the image you want to portray. You need to be fresh, current and ready for business. If you have a website from the nineties, are not secure or not mobile friendly, we really need to talk! This could be costing you big time.
4. You and your customers are missing out. That’s right. Both YOU and YOUR customers are missing out. You are obviously not getting the business but what about your customer? Sounds weird but they are looking for you but cant find you. Someone is looking for a solution right now but if you don’t exist, they cant get the help the desperately need. It’s extremely frustrating when you cant find a solution to a problem. You keep looking and looking but no result. You could say that you have a responsibility to your potential client.
5. It’s an investment! If you’ve been looking at your website as an expense, you’ve got it all wrong. It’s an asset that keeps working for you 24/7 for years to come as in the example above. Nothing comes close. The other thing to consider is that you own it. No one can shut you down, censor you or take it away. Unlike the social channels, you own your domain name and your website and have control.

Your website is your face to the world. It’s probably the most important piece of business real estate that you own. If you’re thinking of making some changes, let’s talk.