Why a website is essential for small businesses

The homepage is a vital tool to attract new customers, establish a professional reputation, and increase sales. Without a website, small businesses run the risk of being overlooked by younger and new customers.

As a small business, you don't necessarily have the resources to hire a sales team that maintains contact and hunts for leads and new customers. There is, after all, a limit to how many coffee meetings a buzy entrepreneur gets to perform during a work week.

We are talking about competitiveness

The landscape is changing. Where once word-of-mouth and ads in the local newspaper were enough to keep the enterprise busy, we now see that things are moving.

Potential new customers often search for services based on location, and without a website it becomes almost impossible for them to find your business. A website is your best opportunity to reach those customers.

We constantly come across websites that are outdated, not adapted to mobiles, or companies that do not have a website at all - this can give a clear negative signal to both customers and partners. Does your company really need a website?

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What should the website contain?

First Impressions

The home page is often the first meeting potential customers have with your company. Use this opportunity to show who you are, what you offer, and why the customer should choose you above all others.

Small businesses should be able to refer to completed projects, references or customer feedback. It can feel risky for a customer to use a small player, and thus you need to build trust and confidence.

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Important elements for a home page

• Communication: Include “contact us” pages or chat solutions for easy communication.
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• Information: Set up FAQ sections to answer frequently asked questions and reduce customer uncertainty.
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• References: Show past work through reference texts and image galleries to build trust.
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• images: Use photos and graphics to create the right impression of the company.
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• Testimonials: The use of positive reviews tells customers that you can deliver.

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Reduced friction

The website allows you to answer the customer's questions and concerns even before contact is established. Make available information that would normally go over mail, make documents downloadable, and save everyone time.

The more steps the customer has to go through, the more likely it is that the customer will choose a different direction. Especially in B2B, it is preferable to be able to find the information you need quickly to make an assessment, rather than having to send an email and wait for a response.

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The marketing toolset

The home page is the foundation for digital marketing. It can be used to advertise offers, job announcements, events, and new products, as well as collect customer information.

Make sure your homepage is attractive and functional, especially for visitors from ads. If the landing pages are not in good condition when visitors show up,  you'll have spent money on people who are not going to follow up on the offer.

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Cost-effective website development

Although many small businesses see price as a hindrance, it is possible to get far on a budget. Going from no website to a simple one-pager makes a big difference.

The most important thing is to start with something, which over time you can build up to become a great tool across your business, and which can be scaled up to meet future demads.

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Visibility on Google and other search engines

Becoming visible and ranking in search engines can take time, typically 3-6 months before seeing results of SEO work. The age of your domain also has a part to say, so the earlier you start ranking the better.

However, with a little extra initial effort you can make your website become a dedicated seller. Read our little SEO guide here.

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Google Business Profile

For small businesses, it's a good idea to set up the Google Business profile as a complement to the homepage. It allows you to land more hits on local searches when customers search for the services or products you deliver in their area or on Google Maps.

The profile can be set up at Google, via this link.

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Attribution

Storyset, freepik

Vector juice, freepik

PCH.vector, freepik