As the owner of a small business or start-up, if you're questioning whether or not you need a website to promote your business, the short answer is yes! A high-quality website needs to include much more than just your hours of operation and a phone number. Plus, it's definitely going to take some time to create the perfect website content that speaks to your brand. Nonetheless, your website is crucial in determining the future success of your small business, so spending time on crafting it is worth it.
In the digital era we live in the number of internet users continues to rise which means that ecommerce, digital marketing, and the use of social networks aren't going anywhere. Without a web presence your business would be practically invisible on search engines and to new customers. You definitely don't want that.
This blog will provide you with reasons why a business website is important, teach you how to update a small business website, and help you find the best website building platform to create a website for your small business.
Why a web presence is necessary for small businesses
When learning how to update a website and manage your online presence, it's important to know the purpose of your website as a whole. Do you want more leads? A larger customer base? More web traffic? No matter your purpose, here are top 3 reasons why your small business needs a website:
Establishes an online presence: When someone does a Google search on something pertaining to your business, you want your website to be the first to show up in search results. These could be potential customers and new clients who are making the searches, after all. For a stronger online presence, you can even use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to lead people to your website through links. Any extra eyes on your business is great!
Boosts brand awareness: As a small business, a website matters more than ever when it comes to boosting brand awareness. Having high-quality content on your website will attract a larger audience and result in more visibility for your brand. A greater "buzz" around your brand and social media accounts will make it easier for lead generation. Having a custom website and domain name will show customers what your business is all about as well as what sets your business apart from competitors.
Increases leads: The goal is for your company's website to attract new clients and customers, which are also called "leads". Lead generation is one of the best marketing tools, so you're going to want to have a professional-looking website for new customers. To manage lead generation on your website, you can plant a call-to-action and set up landing page forms.
Now that you know what a powerful tool a website is for a small business along with some of the benefits of having one, it's time to learn how to create one.
How to choose a small business website
Creating a small business website starts with choosing the right website builder platform. There are many providers specializing in website building, so it can be difficult to know the right one to use that will give you the largest return on investment (ROI). Some of the most popular website providers are Wix, WordPress, and HubSpot. In order to level out the playing field, let's walk through a couple pros and cons of the top website providers:
Wix: This website builder offers pre-built design templates fit for your company and doesn't require you lock into a long-term plan. However, there are no unlimited plans and pre-built designs can limit your creativity.
WordPress: This platform is a user-friendly CMS that offers many different plugins and promotes SEO best practices. Unfortunately, your business will most likely need a developer on site to constantly update it as needed if you choose WordPress. If you aren't a WordPress expert, navigation on the backend can get pretty overwhelming and time consuming.
While every provider has its positives and negatives, one that continues to rank top of the line is HubSpot.
The best website builder for small business
HubSpot is a CMS that specializes in streamlined website building and can also be your one-stop shop for other marketing efforts such as sending email marketing, scheduling social media, and publishing blog posts. With a HubSpot website, you are in complete control of what your website looks and feels like, including setting up your own domain name.
In short, HubSpot is the best website provider for anyone who doesn't have a lot of time to maintain it. As a start-up or small business owner, you'd most likely fall into this category. HubSpot even offers assistance in search engine optimization so that your website will rank higher in Google search results. HubSpot also takes the user experience into account, making it easy for shoppers or clients to navigate through the site. Plus, a HubSpot website will allow you to create a clear path of the customer journey.
Clearly, building a HubSpot website is a great way to establish and manage your company's web presence.
Looking for help to create your new HubSpot website? Schedule a discovery call with us today to get started!
