If you’re a business owner on the fence about creating a website, I’ll save you some time—you need one. A good one. A professionally designed, lead-catching, sales-increasing, brand-differentiating website.

Here’s why:

Consumer behavior changes over time to adapt to modern technology, and consumer behavior has changed to adapt to the digital age. I’ll give you an example—the Yellow Pages. The telephone was a disruptive new technology in the late 1800s and changed the way consumers did business. As more and more households began to use the telephone directory to find local products and services, business owners realized advertising in it was a smart bet. By the 1930s, advertising in the Yellow Pages was the standard operating procedure for most businesses. It made perfect sense—the majority of U.S. households used the directory on a daily basis.

Then came the world wide web and a new disruption to the commercial status quo: the digital transformation. As more and more consumers realized they could find what they needed online faster and more effectively than a phone book, behavior shifted away from using the printed directory. By 2011, 70 percent of all Americans rarely or never used printed phone directories. Also in 2011, more than 59 percent of consumers were already going online to find local businesses.

Fast-forward to 2019, and the number of consumers that go online to find a local business has jumped to 97 percent. If you want them to choose your company, you need to be found online—meaning you need a website.

WHY YOU NEED A WEBSITE IN 2020—NO MATTER WHAT INDUSTRY YOU’RE IN
Look, in 2022 you need a website. You needed one the day you started your business, but better late than never.

I WANT you to succeed. So here goes…………………..

1. YOUR BUSINESS WILL GAIN CREDIBILITY
More and more people are searching online for things they want, for solutions to their problems, to compare prices, or just to get some information about a store, restaurant, or business before they purchase from them. If you don’t have a website, potential customers will go to your competitors who do, especially if you are a home-based business without a bricks-and-mortar address. Having a website will not only provide the information they are looking for, but it will give your business credibility. It says I am here, I mean business, and I am in it for the long haul.
You may be thinking, I have a “freebie” website that I built myself, why should I pay for someone to do it for me? There are several reasons why I don’t recommend “freebie” D.I.Y. websites, which I address elsewhere, but even a “freebie” website is better than no website at all. However, if you are somewhat tech-savvy and have the time to build your own website, I strongly recommend you at least use WordPress with a professional theme and that you pay for web hosting with a reputable web host.

If you do have a D.I.Y. freebie website, ask yourself, is it providing you with the professional image you desire for your brand? There’s nothing less professional online than a website that says “Hey, look, I used a free website builder!” Your business will gain so much more credibility by having a professional website designer help you design and build your website.
With careful planning, designed responsively, and with your customers’ needs in mind, your website will provide a professional image and give potential customers a great experience when they visit, whether it’s on their computer, their tablet, or their mobile phone.

2. IT SAVES YOU MONEY IN THE LONG TERM
As a small business owner, especially one that is just starting out, you’re probably thinking you can’t afford a professional website. But you really can’t afford NOT to. Although the cost of designing a website varies depending on your needs and your skill level, once it’s up and running, a professional website is worth the initial investment, especially if built using WordPress, which enables you to add and change your own content regularly, saving you money in updates. Compared with the cost of traditional means of advertising, such as newspaper ads, radio commercials, promotional materials and even networking events that often include the cost of a meal or trade tables, when you consider the potential market you can reach with a website, it is a very cost-effective way to promote your business long term.

Even if your skill levels are slim to none and you need to continually pay your website designer/developer to maintain and update your website for you, the upkeep costs are still lower than ongoing traditional marketing, and the investment is certainly worth the number of potential customers that will find your business online each year.
When it comes to comparing the cost of a professional website with a freebie D.I.Y. website, unless you are fairly skilled, your website will cost you in time and effort that could be better spent elsewhere in your business. Not only that, but if it’s not professional, or can’t be found in a Google search, you will lose customers and that will also cost you dearly. Saving money is definitely a great reason why your business needs a professional website, but there are several more reasons.

3. CUSTOMERS CAN BE KEPT INFORMED
In its most basic form, think of a website as being an online brochure or catalog that can be updated at any time. It is much easier and quicker to update information about your products and services on your website than it is in a print brochure or catalogue.
A website is an effective way of introducing your customers to new services, letting them know about new products, announcing upcoming events and special promotions. You can also provide added value by posting tips, resources, and other information through a blog on your website. Unlike print ads, newspaper articles, and flyers, which quickly become outdated, your website can provide current information and news. And if you discover a mistake after you publish a page or post, it is a quick fix.
A website can be so much more than just an online brochure or catalogue though. Now we have YouTube videos, Podcasts, Webinars, eBooks, and other online media to showcase our skills, expertise, and products, provide online classes, courses and workshops. Not to mention social media integration which enables you to share information on your website across numerous other channels and reach an even wider audience.

READ MORE: https://optimizeseo.co.uk/why-do-i-need-a-website-for-my-business/