Do I Need A Website In 2020?

A lot of people think that a website is no longer necessary in 2020 because of social media. However, to market and grow your business effectively, a website is still the key to your customers finding your business. 

Whatever industry you are in, if you are a local business, you need a website.

Here’s why.

Speak Directly To Your Customers 

Social media is an important piece of the marketing puzzle. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok are brilliant tools for building awareness of your brand, your products and your services, but they are just the beginning. Your website is under your control, you create the content and can influence your audience as you see fit. Whether that’s with call to actions, collecting leads through email opt-ins or education via blog posts, all your social media accounts should link back to a website.

Websites Build Trust

One of the most important reasons to have a professional website is because customers are unlikely to trust a business without one. In the digital age, consumers expect businesses to have an online presence, including a website, and there’s a strong chance they won’t even consider your business if you don’t.

Customers will also judge the quality of your website. 

“75 percent of consumers admit to making judgments on a company’s credibility based on the company’s website design”

If your website has poor functionality or looks homemade, visitors will simply leave. Optimising for mobile is also essential (according to Deloitte’s 2018 Technology, Media and Telecommunications Predictions Report, Australia’s smartphone penetration is between 90 and 95%),  so if your website doesn’t deliver on mobile, you will lose business.

Your Website Is Key To Ranking Locally

Google has changed, as it always has, and will continue to do. Gone are the days when Google would bring up a list of local businesses and take you directly to their website for the next step. In fact, Google is the new homepage for local business. Referred to as zero-click SERP’s or no-click SERP’s, the idea is to keep users within Google to generate revenue.

“…a user looking at a Google Knowledge Panel can get basic business info, make a phone call, get directions, book something, ask a question, take a virtual tour, read microblog posts, see hours of operation, thumb through photos, see busy times, read and leave reviews. Without ever having to click through to a brand’s domain, the user may be fully satisfied.”

So wouldn’t this mean that a website is unnecessary? No. The opposite is true. Data shows that there is a correlation between local results and organic rankings. So, to maintain SERP visibility, you need to have a responsive website with relevant content and good usability.

“Far from it being the case that websites have become obsolete, they are the firmest bedrock for maintaining free local SERP visibility amidst an increasing scarcity of opportunities.”

 

While Google may not be driving users to individual websites as much as it used to, a well-designed website will greatly improve your chances of appearing in the local search engine results pages and increasing your customer base.

Website Design in Nowra

Your potential customers are searching for you online. If you don’t have a professional website, talk to your local website developers – Nowra Web Design about how we can help you get online and grow your business.