Why you need a website in 2021 may seem obvious to some, but for someone running a small business, it may not make sense. There are many options for building a website now, including many free options — so, why should you pay to build a site?
As award-nominated website designers and developers, we know the success a website can bring a business. So, we’ve put the top reasons why you need a website, how to get one and if it’s something your business should be looking into.
While there are many cost effective ways to use platforms for free, online presence, this doesn’t mean a website shouldn’t be a part of your business plan. Websites help your business be seen and gain sales at any time (they’re always running and don’t require a person to reply to enquiries or leads), make your business seem legitimate to potential customers, give customers all the information they need and more. Keep reading to find out why you need a website in 2021.
Photo by KOBU Agency on Unsplash.
7 Reasons Why You Need a Website in 2021
1. Online presence.
One of the main reasons to have a website is for increasing online presence and brand awareness. More than 80% of people research a business online before deciding to make a purchase. This is a huge percentage of potential buyers, which you absolutely do not want to miss out on.
A website will also help encourage the return of existing customers, as well as new users. Websites can be optimised with good SEO practices, which helps you rank on search engines and be visible to potential and existing customers.
2. Credibility.
A top reason to have a website in 2021 is for your business’s credibility. Having a website that is secure, well designed, optimised for user experience and displays reviews, case studies and examples of work through photos is key to show viewers your business is legitimate and trustworthy. This also means if your website has more information, is quicker or better designed than your competitors, it can give you the advantage.
3. Consumer touch points.
On average, consumers will pass through 20–500 touch points before making a purchase, depending on the product or service. Adding onto this, the average person needs to see your brand 7 times before it sticks in their memory. So, it’s no surprise websites play a major role in this process.
If your website is non-existent, your potential customers may be slipping through your fingers as there are less opportunities for them to connect with you over your competitors.
While doing their research, customers will look at alternatives, which is why it’s so important your website is optimised to its fullest potential. This means without a website, customers aren’t able to satisfy their research needs and may opt for a competitor who provides them with more information.
4. Ability to make sales 24/7.
Websites run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, meaning people can buy or enquire about your products or services at any time. This means they won’t require you to organise a payment with them when they can check out and make purchases directly from your website. Additionally, potential and current customers are less likely to need to make an inquiry if you have all the necessary information provided on your website. For example, if someone wants to find out where exactly your service area covers, or what your business hours are, they may enquire if they can’t find this information on your website. Or, they may even go to a competitor if they think enquiring is too much of a hassle.
Besides having the ability to make immediate sales, your website is also a statement of your brand’s voice and acts as your own business advocate. Brand consistency helps convert people, which is a significant reason to have a website in 2021.
As seen in 2020, the importance of online presence has never been more clear. If people can’t find you online, then they may find your competitors instead. Businesses that were quick to adapt and made sure they were present online saw better results compared to those who remained offline and soon after closed their doors.
5. Saves time.
Websites provide customers with information about your business, diminishing the need for them to ask you questions before making a purchasing decision. By having all this information in one place, customers can browse your website to find the answers they’re looking for, rather than you consistently getting bombarded with enquiries.
So, instead of communicating back and forth with potential customers, your website can satisfy their queries, giving you more time to spend on more important things.
Some ways to minimise customer’s need to contact you:
- Enable live chat on your website.
- Provide forms for customers to fill out, e.g. a form with their contact details to enquire about a service.
- FAQ page to answer common questions.
6. Competition.
Another reason why you need a website in 2021 is competition. If your competitors have websites, this means they’re already capturing a large part of the market, which you cannot reach without a website.
With online presence, people can visit your website anytime, anywhere. For example, let’s say you own a coffee shop, which is 5 blocks away from another coffee shop. If you have no website, but the other coffee shop has a website with FAQ (which are also an important part of SEO), opening hours and photos of their coffees and baked goods, who do you think customers searching for a coffee shop would prefer? It’s clear most people would go to the competitors coffee shop as they know what time they’re open and what they can expect.
Having a website can be the difference between you and your competition winning that online searcher.
7. Create recyclable organic content.
Another distinct reason to have a website is for organic content. Blogs are great for search engine optimisation (SEO), which you can recycle by using them on your social media accounts to provide more content. This means you can use the same content multiple times, without having to constantly create new content for each platform. In saying this, make sure to reword your content so they aren’t exact duplicates, but use the same ideas and themes to effectively recycle your content.
Who needs a website in 2021?
You may be wondering, “who needs a website in 2021?” The answer is any business can benefit from a website, but the website type may depend on the business and their goals. Furthermore, websites are a great way to expand your brand awareness and reach. With the world still affected by the pandemic, it’s important to think about how a website can help your business make it through these difficult times.
How to Get a website in 2021
1. Decide what type of website you need.
There are many different types of website platforms and what they allow you to do. Knowing which one you need will help you save a lot of money and not be taken for a ride.
For example, a small business who only need a basic website with information and a contact form can save a lot of money with a HTML5 website. While a business who plans to sell online will need a WordPress or eCommerce website, as a HTML5 website won’t allow as much freedom.
2. Pick what’s important to you in your website.
To save you time when you’re ready to build, already have a plan of your one or two primary colours, a storage folder full of high-quality original images, what sets you a part as a business and more. You should also have your logo ready, a list of your services and products, licenses and certifications you business has, bios for your key staff, if you have a medical, financial or life-altering type of website and more.
If you decide to build your own website, you’ll have this ready to go. However, if you want a really good website and go with a professional website builder, you’ll be able to help them build your website faster and know exactly what you want.
3. Contact a reputable website builder.
Free website builders create a lot of problems you don’t need long-term. The easiest solution for building a website in 2021 is contacting a reputable website designer and developer.
A good website builder will include your design, development, content, testing and everything you need to create a website. They’ll also ensure your website is ready for search engines, so it has every chance of doing well — and if they don’t, find someone else.
With websites subscriptions now readily available, you can even pay for your website like you would a phone plan. For instance, Localsearch’s website subscriptions start from $29 a week and include everything you need and more. Plus, you get a free website rebuild after the third year.
Visit the Localsearch website page for more information.
Find Website Design Services near you on localsearch.com.au.
More from Chloe 
