Website for small businesses, is it important? 

We cannot deny that competition amongst businesses these days is getting fiercer. With the pandemic sweeping the world, business owners are finding ways to keep their business running. Looking at the trends in the digital age of 2020, many business owners are utilizing the internet to further their business. There are many owners who have adapted to presenting their product digitally, so as to attract customers who do most of their transactions online.

Digital presence from the brand is not only capable of increasing sales through online purchases, but can also help the brand get closer to the customers or potential audience. Commonly, digital presence is how the brand is showing up on online media. This refers to any form of media that can be reached via the internet, such as websites, social media platforms, paid online ads, or search engine results. A digital presence cannot be any more vital for businesses right now because everyone around the world is using digital media to look for or purchase something that they want.

Before buying your product, customers will almost certainly try to find more information about it on the internet first (DevTeam)

According to research, 70-80% of customers will search online if they want to visit certain places or purchase a certain product. Search results will therefore greatly affect customer behaviour when they browse online. This can also be affected by reviews from previous customers who already bought the product or service. On the other hand, around 70% of customers will learn about the product through online content or articles, including reviews or product descriptions. (bluecorona, 2019)

As a form of digital presence, websites are essential pillars for brands to run their digital strategy. Business websites are a signal to potential customers about the credibility of your brand. 84% of customers believe a company with a website is more credible than the one who only has a social media page (Verisign, 2015). This credibility will make your business look more professional than the others. Some businesses might prioritize social media as their main outlet of promotion. However, social media has limitations such as image size and characters for product description amongst others.

Online shopping and online consumerism has become voraciously popular (From Field to Shelf)

Beyond that, websites can not only act as a place for selling your product but also provide additional value for potential customers. For example, many companies who own a website not only put their product catalogue but also provide their own blogging content as well. Oftentimes, we can find information related to the business in these blogs and educate potential customers more about the product or service you offer.

Having a website also will allow you to get potential customers through search engines, particularly Google, the biggest search engine to date. With the perfect SEO strategy, a well-optimized website can help a business rank well on search engines and attract new customers. It is no argument that the majority of customers would prioritize results on the first page of the search engine and ignore those that fall behind. 76% of business owners also agree that a website is a great way to find new customers (Verisign, 2015), besides direct marketing.

As with doing anything business-related, map out your goals first before jumping into something . (Brebeuf Jesuit)

But before you start building a website for your business, ask yourself: what is the primary purpose of your website? Think about why you want to create a website and what you want to offer customers through this website. And always remember that user experience is an essential element for a website. As Gabriel Shaoolian, CEO of Blue Fountain Media, said, we have to think about specific user experience and the journey the user will go through as they navigate our website.

If you are still unfamiliar as to how to build a website for your business, there are many tools online that are able to guide you through the steps. Alternatively, you can choose to work together with a website design company or website design agency. A website design agency might offer various services, depending on what you need.

As a digital creative agency based in Singapore that also offers website design services, MIU helps you generate new leads, keeps your existing customers engaged, and increases conversions through effective marketing campaigns. Through our web development and targeted SEO strategy, MIU not only helps you build a website, but also a platform where you can express your purpose towards your customers. Unlike many other website design agencies in Singapore, MIU provides continuous guidance and support throughout and beyond the contract. We believe in establishing reliable and meaningful partnerships with our clients, which go a long way.

No matter the size of your business, a website still plays an essential role as a marketing tool. With digital consumption showing no sign of slowing down, websites can be the spearhead of the marketing strategy for your business. From extensive business owners to small business owners, they believe that websites not only help to find new customers but also to grow their business. So if you’re ready to build a website for your business, start your journey with us now.