Do I really need a website?

Well, we would say ‘yes’ but then we can be a little biased when it comes to this subject. The truth of the matter is, yes you do. But maybe not for the reasons you think. A website on its own is not enough but equally, anything else you do without the back-up of a website is pretty much a waste of time as well.
Business owners in surveys are often quoted as saying they don’t have the skills, the time or the money to build and maintain a website. Some even say they don’t think they need one. But as we work ever harder to attract the attention of our customers, so are our competitors. It is no longer good enough just to ‘exist’ and expect the customer to come to you. Less than 10 years ago, a good reputation was more than enough, and word of mouth took care of the rest. Now, people spend more time on Social Media than on recommending trades, shops and services to one another verbally, so opinions are formed, and decisions are made, largely by what people see online.

Well no, not really. Remember that Facebook will only show its users what it decides (or calculates) they want to see. Agreed, a Facebook user may stroll across your post once or twice but at the moment they want to make use of your services, or buy your product, they may not be able to find that post again. Consider also that not all your customers are on Facebook. Other social networks are available, but the challenges remain the same. A change of algorithm or a policy shift in the boardroom and before you know it, your (potential) customers are no longer being shown your page or posts. Your website, however, will act as an anchor, a steady rock in a choppy sea. Always there just at the moment when the customer needs it.

A professional website meets customers’ expectations. The majority of people will start by doing research online. Even for a small purchase and even when it comes to dealing with a local shop or service. The browsers on their phones, tablets and laptops are usually geared to access the Google search engine and even a partial entry of your name, location or service should bring up your website. Not having a website will lead customers to believe you’re stuck in the dark ages and that is not a great message to send. What’s more, Google aims to please so will bombard the searcher with alternative suppliers which, if at all possible, are no more than a few miles from their current location. Remember: customer loyalty is important, but convenience is ‘importanter’ …

Facebook and other special networks are an important platform, there is no denying that. Some traditional forms of advertising are still valid as well. Print media adverts are becoming increasingly expensive and may not work for everyone, but you still need to find ways to make your customers aware of your product or service. Leaflets, posters, cards etc. are all useful marketing tools for company name awareness but I can absolutely guarantee you that the moment customers want to get in touch, practically all of them will grab their phone and start searching online for your contact details and at least half of them will want to do so out of office hours.

Although budgets and demands vary, there is no real difference between the website of a large multinational company and that of a small business working from a tiny room of a small house in a little village on the Isle of Wight. A clean and professional looking website completely levels the playing field because you can present yourself and your business any way you like. A well-designed site will bolster customer confidence and will help you jump that first hurdle, creating a good first impression. After that, when you meet the customer face to face for the first time, he or she will already have a favourable opinion about you, maybe already feel they know you a little bit at which point your sales skills, you expertise and knowledge, or maybe just your striking good looks and dynamic personality can come into play to make the sale, cut the deal or get them to sign on the dotted line.

They don’t need your life story or a multi-page, information hub of your services. In some case, a simple single page website will do. Less is indeed more, use short sentences and grab their attention in the first few seconds. And make sure the information is regularly updated and refreshed. Out of date info is one of people’s top ‘pet peeves’ and is sure to send them into the arms of another supplier! Don’t worry if you’re suffering from writer’s block. We will research your subject, check what search terms are being used for the type of service or product you offer and weave all that into the content to ensure excellent SEO.

In a survey carried in June 2018, nearly all small business that didn’t have a website, said they planned to have one by the end of the year. If you were one of those but Christmas, New Year and cash-strapped-January got in the way, give Island Web Design a call and let us sit down over tea to see how we can help you get the best out of a new website or a re-design of an old site. Let me show you how our care package gives you free updates to keep your design and content fresh and how our all-inclusive service makes sure you can be found on Google.

At IWD it is not about ‘design and forget’. We are your invisible IT & online guru, there when you need us and always ready to lend a hand. We only recently started collecting reviews on Trustpilot but feel free to head on over to https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.island-webdesign.co.uk and see what some of our customers are saying. Hopefully, we can welcome you to the IWD family pretty soon too!