Even if you’re a local business that doesn’t sell your products or services online, it’s extremely important to have a website. Why? In today’s world, potential customers use the internet to search for the things they are looking for online. That’s why it’s essential to have a strong online presence in order to stay relevant and maintain a competitive edge.
Keep in mind that more than ever, people expect to find things in their area using search engines like Google. In fact, most consumers use their mobile devices to search for companies they plan on doing business with.
While there are multiple reasons you may not have invested in a website, the internet is here to stay. Without a professional website, you are guaranteed to miss out on some serious business. That’s why Thrive Web Designs would like to provide you with the following reasons why every brick and mortar business should have a professional website.
Attract Local Customers
If your business relies on local customers to visit your store, you may not think you need a professional website. After all, you don’t rely on customers purchasing your products and services from other areas of the world. However, even local residents may not realize that your business exists. If you don’t have a website and haven’t claimed your Google My Business listing, you could be missing out on a lot of potential customers.
Endorse Your Business
Before the internet was invented, business owners hung signs, printed flyers, and invested in newspaper ads to let people know they were in business. Today, a professional website is the equivalent of these efforts. A business website ensures your store is not only visible but trustworthy and credible as well. In fact, most people only consider a business legitimate if they have a professional website. Furthermore, having a strong social media presence is helpful as well. You can even link your social media pages to your website to help people get to know your business better.
Boost Your Reputation
Whether you realize it, there is already information about your business online. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve created an online presence for yourself or not. Your local store is often listed in directories and talked about in reviews and on social media. Why not boost your reputation by taking control of the messaging? While social media is a great place to engage with your customers, a website provides you with the opportunity to highlight important customer testimonials. Furthermore, if there are any questions about the products and services you offer, you can create a specific page on your website to address them.
Increase Customer Satisfaction
When local customers have questions about your business, having a phone number for them to call isn’t always enough. Instead, customers want different options when it comes to finding more information about your business. With a website, you can provide them with a contact form and a live chat option along with valuable information about your hours, location, products, services, and common FAQs. This will go a long way when it comes to building and maintaining a loyal, local customer base.
Expand Your Reach
If your goal is to expand your marketing reach and get people talking about your business, a professional website is an integral part of this strategy. It even helps your business offline by listing it on business cards, advertisements, and flyers. Furthermore, a professional website effectively boosts your ability to expand your marketing reach online whether its paid ads, social media, email campaigns, and more.
Build Solid Relationships
One of the best ways to build and maintain solid relationships with your customers to provide them with a place to talk with you online. A professional website is not only a place for customers to provide you with helpful feedback but a place where you can share your unique expertise. You’ll also have the opportunity to share information that you post on your blog to your social media accounts to help get the word out about your business. Doing so will encourage potential customers to get to know you better thus building solid relationships and brand loyalty.
Thrive Web Designs
Are you looking to build a website for your local business? Contact Thrive Web Designs by filling out our online form or give us a call at (208) 391-2504 today. Our team of experienced developers, designers, and content marketing professionals can help you create the professional web design your business needs to get on the map.
