Short answer? Yes. You need a website.
I realize that may seem a little biased coming from someone who creates websites for a living. Fear not, I have some really good reasons.
A Website Legitimizes Your Business
You are a professional. Your online presence should be professional as well.
Which one of these looks more professional? beckyscupcakes.wizbangwebsites.com or www.beckyscupcakes.com?
But Dana, websites cost money. Yes, websites are a marketing expense (BTW, that makes it a tax writeoff), but one well worth it. It shows your potential clients and customers that you’re serious and for real.
That professionalism extends to your email. Have you ever gotten a business card and someone’s email was BeckysCupcakes@gmail.com? Pretty much every website hosting comes with a few email address, and you can even use Gmail as your provider with your own .com for less than $5 a month. That’s less than you spend on coffee in one day. Isn’t your business worth more than a venti caramel mochaccino?
Saves Time and Money
You read that right – a good website saves you time and money. How? Simple. When your website is focused on your clients and customers, it cuts down on the questions you have to answer.
Depending on your business, you can also have your website do the work for you, or at least some of it. Ecommerce, gift cards, scheduling, and intake forms are some of the repetitive jobs that can fairly easily be moved online.
Your Storefront 24/7
Your website is available all the time, from anywhere, even when you’re not. It’s a virtual storefront (even if you don’t have physical products).
Your Website is Your Hub
Your website serves as your marketing hub. Everything starts and ends there.
Your website should answer so many questions.
Who are you?
Why are you in business?
Why should your clients or customers part with their hard earned money and give it to you?
There’s lots more, of course, and your website should answer the basics.
Your marketing messaging starts at your website, is shared via your marketing channels (social media, email, flyers, etc.) and then point BACK to your website. It is the sun in your marketing solar system.
You Own Your Website. You Don’t Own Your Social Media
What about social media? Shouldn’t I build an Instagram following?
Social media is a great tool in your marketing toolbox, but it’s not your most reliable tool. That’s because you don’t own your social media. Social media companies have the ability to take your account away at any time. For any reason.
Social media is also well known for changing the rules of engagement. Back in the early 2010’s Facebook was pushing Facebook Pages to businesses HARD. Build your audience, they said. It will be great, they said. Then people complained that their friends – the people whose updates they wanted to see on Facebook – were buried by updates from pages. So Facebook changed their algorithm.
When they changed the algorithm they went to businesses who had spent a lot of time an energy building an audience and told them Fear Not! You can reach your audience with Boosted Posts! In other words, businesses now had to PAY to reach their own audiences. Organic reach fell off a cliff and businesses were faced with tough choices.
OK, So Now What?
I’ve convinced you? Fantastic!
Now what?
You have a few choices.
- DIY it. Google tutorials, find online guides, take an online course, or a combination of the three. This is the least expensive option, and it’s a great choice if you’re comfortable with the technology and can overcome and hurdles along the way.
- Pay an agency to build your website. This is the priciest option, but the easiest on your end. You’ll have to put some work in, of course, but you leave the technical stuff to someone else.
- Find someone to train you. There are places where you can earn business skills, including building a website. These can be hit or miss, depending on your needs. It’s a middle-on-the road option cost-wise.
Need some help? Check out my website package and drop me an email at hello@littlebirdiemarketing.com and let me know how I can help you.
However you decide to get your website up and running, do it. It’s your most valuable marketing tool.