Why Is It Important to Maintain a Website for Your Business?

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About 80% of all people conduct a Google search before leaving their homes to pick up the things that they need. If you don’t have a website set up for your small business, you won’t show up in these searches. You can imagine how detrimental that is. 

Even so, 64% of small businesses have elected to not have a proper website. If you’re one of these companies, it’s time to get things into gear. 

If you maintain a business website, not only will you show up on the front page of a Google search but it’s cheap advertising and you can give your visitors basic information on your services. Keep reading to learn more about how having a site will help you stand out in a sea of your website competitors. 

Answer Burning Questions 

Your customers won't want to call your establishment to get simple questions answered. If they have to contact you directly to find out your prices or what your store hours are, they won't bother. 

They'll head to one of your competitor's websites instead. You don't want to clutter your webpage with tons of information but the basic stuff should be there. 

You also have to think about your store hours. Say you close at 5 but a customer has a question at 6. If your website can't tell them what they need to know and they can't call you, they'll move on to a company that can answer them. 

Express Your Brand Values 

Does your company have family values? Do you help those in your community? These are things that your potential customers would like to know. 

By expressing your values on your site, you show people that you are a person. Not just a company. Include your brand in your design elements, your company story, and do your best to familiarize your target audience with it. 

If they can latch on to it, you'll stick in their minds. If you have an established brand that also shows them that you are successful and bustling. 

It's Cheap Advertising 

You have to pay for a domain name and it's a good idea to have a web design company working on your site. It's not cheap but it's not the most expensive form of advertising out there either. 

You're not plastering your brand on a billboard or paying for a TV commercial. Not only is maintaining a website one of the cheapest forms of advertising but it can reach further as well. 

You can have a link to your website on your social media page and vice versa. You can use pay-per-click advertising programs or post in forums. There are almost countless ways you can spread your brand around the internet. 

Visibility 

Even if people have heard about your business from other customers you've had, they might want to Google you and see additional reviews. If they can't find you online, that will make them feel a bit skeptical. It doesn't matter how many good things they've heard from others. 

They also don't want to drive around town looking for you. They could get lost and be forced to wander around for hours. If they can't find an address or map to get to you, they're going to stay at home or go elsewhere. 

Boost Sales 

If you don't sell things on your business website, people will be limited to purchasing from you while you're open. That doesn't sound so bad until you realize that around 76% of all people do their shopping online. 

If you don't have a site with a functioning store, you'll be missing out on a lot of purchases. People just enjoy the simple gratification of being about to buy what they need at the push of a button. Fewer complications and driving that way. 

Increased Customer Trust 

You could sell the best food in town but if your restaurant doesn't have a website, people won't trust you enough to find out. If a business doesn't have a website, potential customers view it as being a little sketchy. 

Having a website shows that you're successful and lets people know that your brand is credible as well. You also need to know how to maintain a website. 

If your posts are a year old, people that visit the site will think that you're no longer in business. Hiring a web development team can help by performing regular updates. 

Internet Exposure 

When someone does a Google search for services that you provide again, you want to be on the front page of Google. Not many people go to page two and being one of the first results makes you more credible. 

Now, you don't increase your rankings by having a killer website alone. You need to do a bit of SEO work. It can be hard to get the hang of SEO by yourself. 

If you feel lost in a sea of links and keywords, hiring a web development company can make a huge difference and take away some of your frustration. 

Your Business Needs to Maintain a Website 

When customers do a search, you want your business's name to be one of the first ones they see. If someone can look you up and check out reviews, they'll be much more likely to trust you and reach out to you. 

It takes a lot of work to not only make your website but optimize it for SEO. That's why you should put it in the hands of a reputable company. 

It will save you time and it's not as expensive as you think it would be. It's actually pretty cheap advertising. So, there's no excuse not to maintain a website. 

Having a website isn't the only inexpensive way to market your business. Check out our blog daily for more advertising tips that won't break the bank. Visit the Web Dev section of the Bootstrap Business Blog to learn more about how to optimize and maintain a website that works.

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