The online presence of your business, regardless of what industry you are in, can have a huge impact on the success of that business.
If you don’t think that the majority of your customers visit your website before calling or visiting your business, think again. According to a study by GE Shopper Research, 81 percent of consumers go online before heading out to the store. So what should your website do for you?
Greet your customers: Your website is the welcome mat of your business. It should meet, greet, inform and educate visitors. It should also evoke emotion.It is often the first impression you will make with a potential customer. This will most likely determine whether or not they will continue to the next step in the buying cycle.
Add credibility: One of the main reasons you should have a website is to show your business actually exists.Without a website, customers may question your legitimacy as a business. Especially when your competitors have one. Remember, customers will seek you out online, and having a website is one of the criteria for determining trustworthiness. And no—Facebook should not be your website.
Another factor that impacts credibility is the design of your website. Most (75 percent) of consumers admit that they judge a business’ credibility based on its website design. according to Business.com.
Drive locals to your business: One of the most important reasons to have a website is because it will increase your inbound leads. Once a potential customer finds your website and becomes interested in your products or services they’ll want to contact you. And thanks to your website now they have your contact information.
Keep in mind, that your site should be very clear in its purpose. A missing or confusing call to action will leave visitors unsure of where to go or what to do. Too many animations, videos, or popups are a deterrent and do not add value to your site.
Be your 24/7 salesperson: Your website, when done correctly, is the perfect 24-hour, seven-days-a-week salesperson. When potential customers are searching for a product or service, you want your website to start the selling process. It should address the basic questions and concerns of your customers. Answering questions and educating customers is the first step in the sales journey and the better job your website does this, the easier it will be to convert a potential customer into a loyal one. By the way, it should also answer those frequently asked questions. What time do you close? Where are you located? Do your deliver?
People will Google you. Be honest. How many times a day do you Google something? Everyone does. And if your business is listed and you don’t have a website, you’re in trouble. Potential customers will bypass your listing and move on to the next listing with a website.
Another point to mention is that if your site is not mobile-friendly web surfers will move on. Some 63 percent of Google search traffic originated from mobile devices. (Merklenic, 2019). Mobile users expect the same experience as that of desktop users.
Additional unpaid advertising: When people are looking for your business, having a website will help them find you and get them the information they are looking for. However, if your site goes beyond just a digital brochure and you provide industry information, news updates, and how-to’s you’ll show up in search results for people who were not necessarily looking for you. Maybe they were looking for your competitor. By offering information you have not only added credibility to your business you may have also won over new customers.
If you currently don’t have a website or if your site isn’t converting visitors into customers, visit our website at LeadUp.Solutions for a free marketing consultion.
