Here’s why having a website is essential for small businesses
It is a truth that should be universally acknowledged that small businesses must invest in their websites in 2021.
After the disaster of a year that was 2020, 2021 has so kindly kept the chaos dialled to 100.
Here in Australia, we have faced Covid-19 outbreaks and lockdowns, bushfires, political scandals, and Zuck v Frydenberg.
One of the most important reminders that came out of the Zuck v Frydenberg showdown – where Facebook pulled ‘news’ from the Australian version of Facebook – was that small businesses cannot solely rely on their social media platforms to market their small business.
Regardless of whether you own a product or service-based business, this latest incident highlights why it is essential that you have, and maintain your own small business website.
Not 100% convinced? Consider these reasons which highlight why it is essential your small business has a website instead of relying on social media.
CAN YOU SEE ME NOW?
Let’s take a look at one of the most frustrating aspects of social media: Algorithms.
How many times have you heard Facebook or Instagram users moan about their engagement nose diving? How much money have businesses poured into ads in order for their posts to be – hopefully – seen?
(It’s a lot but let’s not waste our valuable time looking up the exact million).
When you sign up to a social media platform you are agreeing to abide by their terms and conditions. They have total control. They can (and do) farm your data, change their policies, limit your access to content or functions, delete your account, and amend their algorithms which can often hide your content from your audience.
While having a large social media following is great if you’re an eCommerce business and wanting to inform customers about your latest sale or stock, it is best not to rely long term on any of the platforms as your sole marketing strategy or way of connecting with customers. Zuck has proven that he will wield the power to knock out certain features of his platform, so now is the time to future proof your small business’s online presence.
The Solution: Create or update your website. Also, build your subscriber list so you can send emails directly to your audience instead of paying for them to sometimes see your social media posts.
UX GOT THIS!
You own your website. Some people may argue that you never 100% own anything online, but if you purchase and continue to renew your domain then you can control where you host or transfer it in the future.
When you create your website you have endless design possibilities to choose from to appeal to your target market. Unlike the design of a social media platform, you are in the driver’s seat. You select the fonts, colours, imagery, eCommerce shop layout, button shapes, text, menu position – all of which contribute to the user experience (UX)!
Just think – your customers don’t have to navigate through a sea of blue and white or scroll past a zillion other things before finding you!
When it comes to your eCommerce store – you control how the products are displayed and receive purchases directly without a social media platform farming all the sale data.
Don’t rely only on the apps’ shop functions for sales. They can delete your products without warning or flag them for ridiculous reasons so you have to jump through hoops to resolve it.
If you’re a service-based business then you can include a booking form or calendar app to help organise appointments with clients instead of them only being able to contact you via a social media platform or DM.
Hot tip: Purchase your domain through a reputable provider and have independent hosting so if you decide you don’t like your website platform/builder or your contract ends then you can easily transfer the domain elsewhere and create a sparkling new website.
BUT WHAT ABOUT FUNNELS?
Okay, so once you have your small business website organised you can then look at using social media to funnel customers to your website.
Different platforms tend to favour varying types of content and attract different demographics of users. Use this information to your advantage – figure out which platforms your target markets prefer and create a social media strategy to promote your products or services.
Why? Because you can use social media to funnel customers to your website – just don’t solely rely on them. It’s a bit of the putting all of your eggs in one basket scenario. 😉
You can achieve this by sharing your blog posts, product updates, sales or specials on social media to encourage people to visit your website. Think of the features such as swipe up, link in bio, direct links to click on, or pins.
For example: Pinterest is great for product-based businesses to backlink to their website and funnel traffic, while Instagram and Facebook have shop options where you can connect your shop to your profile but also share links to your website.
Remember: Don’t rely on only one platform forever in case you wake up one day and find it gone, but use social media to your advantage to make people aware of your small business website.
GOODBYE ZUCK, HELLO DOING-IT-YOUR-WAY
If you do not yet have a small business website then you need to purchase a domain. This can be done through various online domain providers and if you’re an Australian based business you can opt for the .com.au version of the domain. However, if the .com is also available than you may want to purchase it as well to prevent confusion if another business with a similar name buys it in the future.
Usually, you buy a domain that matches your small business name, but if the exact name is unavailable consider some alternatives that still relate to your small business – whether it is hyphens between words, different endings (.co, .shop, etc), your small business name plus the city you are located in, or something that relates to what goods or services you provide. Some domains cost a lot more than others through different providers so don’t be scared to shop around and check different providers’ websites because sometimes they can be $$$ cheaper or have a generous discount for the first year or so of purchase and registration.
If you already own your domain, do not forget to renew it unless you want to risk your website going down or somebody else buying it when the registration lapses!
You are in a more secure position to build your website once you own your domain.
Final Word: When it comes to deciding which website builder or platform to host your website be sure to consider the following:
Ease of use – can you update your website yourself or do you require an expert to assist? Do you have to start from scratch every time you want to change templates?
Cost – some platforms look cheaper up front but once you’ve upgraded to include everything you need for your website or installed plug-ins it can be pricey.
Customisation – do you need a website where you can code and customise everything or can you adapt a template to suit your small business’s needs?
Need some website inspiration? Check out my portfolio which contains some recent small business website designs.
What’s holding you back from creating or updating your small business’s website? If you’re not sure where to begin website design-wise, then give me a buzz and we can suss out the viable website options for your small business so you aren’t beholden to the social media giants.