Is making websites for small businesses a good idea?

When it comes to increasing brand awareness and building trust with target audiences, nothing’s as impactful as a well-optimized website. A survey suggests that 83% of online users appreciate it when a website looks attractive and up to date and 42% of people leave a website because of poor functionality. A well-maintained website shows that a company is serious about its efforts and genuinely cares about its customers.

If you’re a small business owner on a tight budget, it’s natural to wonder if having a website is a good idea. Our thoughts after working with some of the best startups? It’s the BEST idea. Having a website design for a small business like yours can boost your credibility, bring you better traffic, and boost your sales.

Use this blog post as a guide to learn the benefits and challenges of running a website. Most importantly, understand if you need a website for your business.

The benefits of website design for small business owners

Owning a website is like having a salesperson who works around the clock. It will generate leads for you even when you sleep without a care in the world. As your organization scales, your website will reflect your brand image and help you form the first impression. Other benefits you can reap are as follows:

1. Stand out of the crowd:
   • Let’s be real. There are hundreds of companies offering the same solutions as you. Your audience needs a reason to believe that you’re better than others. As a small business owner, you can leverage this by working with a powerful web development company that offers in-depth and valuable resources.
   • Imagine your ideal customers visiting your website only to find that you solve 70% of their problems for FREE. It will naturally nudge them towards your paid solutions and resources. It will make your brand appear more legit and help you build a stronger foundation.
2. Generate leads even when you sleep:
   • It doesn’t matter if you’re sleeping or traveling, your website will generate leads for you while you are on autopilot mode. Of course, you need to have an SEO and Content team in place to make it happen that smoothly but you get the point, right? Even your ideal audiences in opposite time zones can fill up forms to get quotes or schedule a call without having to wait for hours.
   • Unlike a physical store with limited operating hours, a website design for small business owners will allow the customers to learn about your products and services, browse offerings, and even make purchases at their convenience. It significantly increases brand awareness and lead generation.
3. Increase your online visibility:
   • When you create a website and optimize it with SEO in mind, you increase your chances of showing up on the SERP. It means that since you collaborated with the best website development company when people search for a product or service in your niche, your brand is more likely to show up in the results. It will drastically increase your customer base and spread brand awareness.
   • Depending on the quality of services, resources, and solutions you offer, the visitors will become interested. They will study more about your offers and even contact you through the lead-generating forms that you place on your website. Even though maintaining websites comes at a cost, when used correctly, they have a positive ROI.
4. Automate your customer service:
   • When a customer looks for a solution, they have loads of questions. How the service can benefit them in terms of ROI? What’s their operating location and hour? How long would it take to achieve certain results? If you don’t respond to these questions within a set time, your customer will be unhappy. Around 80% of new leads never turn into sales and the major reason behind this is poor user experience.
   • A well-optimized website can direct your customers to the right page and give them the necessary information without getting on a call. You can also use advanced automation tools to answer queries and post relevant announcements. When you share something particularly relevant to your ideal audience, you will be able to upsell them more conveniently.
5. Data and Analytics:
   • One of the most underrated benefits of creating a website with the help of the best website developers is the wealth of data that it provides. Websites can easily be integrated with analytics tools to track necessary KPIs like website traffic, user behavior, and customer interactions. It will help you understand their preferred type of content, writing style, and interests.
   • This way you can identify areas for improvement, work on the weaker sections, and make informed decisions. If you have a strategy in mind, use the data to check the effectiveness of the concept. Will it impact a lot of visitors or just a few? How would the users feel about the changes? Was there a measurable change?

Considering the Challenges

With affordable website builders flooding the market, most startups lean toward platforms like WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace. Although these platforms are simple, they still demand additional knowledge to get the website to perform well. Some other challenges include:

1. Time Commitment:
   • Creating and maintaining a website design for small business owners requires a long-term commitment. You have to create informative content, tweak your website for search engines, and regularly update information to keep your site fresh and engaging. This can be incredibly challenging if you’re a busy entrepreneur juggling multiple tasks.
   • To counteract this issue, there are many website builder platforms in the market that offer user-friendly interfaces and content management systems for streamlining the process. Batching your content creation tasks and scheduling updates can help you manage your website effectively without feeling overwhelmed.
2. Managing Cost
   • Maintaining a website isn’t cheap. You have to manage the upfront costs for development and ongoing expenses for maintenance, domain renewal, and potentially web hosting. Additionally, you must process regular updates and security measures to ensure the smooth functioning of the site.
   • For business owners on a tight budget, these costs can be tough to manage. However, the good news is that several web development agencies offer packages specifically tailored for small business owners. Take HiveStrats for instance, they have helped several small business owners create professional websites and saved them hundreds of dollars.
3. Technical Expertise
   • While website builder platforms and a rise in affordable website development companies have made website development more accessible, some complex functionalities on those platforms do require some technical knowledge. Statistics suggest that first impressions of a website are 94% design-related. If you want to ace your web design, the best option would be to collaborate with an expert web developer.
   • However, considering how most website builder platforms offer a wide range of pre-designed templates and drag-and-drop functionalities that easily meet the needs of every user, we don’t feel it’s a deal-breaking challenge. You can still achieve a professional website design without extensive coding knowledge.
4. Competition:
   • The online space is crowded, and standing out requires a well-designed website with clear offers and solutions. This means that the website design for a small business doesn’t just need to be visually appealing and user-friendly, but it must also audience audience-specific. Additionally, your website must be fast enough to stay ahead in today’s competitive market. Statistics suggest that 83% of consumers expect websites to load in less than 3 seconds
   • If you’re serious about dominating your niche and industry, become more efficient at conducting competitor research, and understand what others in your industry are doing well online. It will help you identify areas for differentiation and ensure your website stands out from the crowd.

Is Website Design Right for You?

A website design for small business owners can be a powerful tool for growth but with so many factors to consider, it's natural to wonder if it's the right fit for you. Here's a framework to help you make an informed decision:

• Know Your Audience : Think about your ideal customer. Do they actively search for businesses online? Understand their online behavior to determine if a website is the best platform to reach them.
• Evaluate Your Resources : Consider your budget and time commitment. Web design for business owners can be surprisingly affordable when you combine website builder platforms with an expert web developer.
• Consider Alternatives : If a website feels overwhelming, you can always explore alternative online presences. Social media platforms and online directories can be powerful tools to connect with your audience. However, a website offers a level of control and flexibility that these alternatives might lack.
• Explore Your Options : Don't be intimidated by the technical aspects. Many website builder platforms offer user-friendly interfaces and drag-and-drop functionalities which makes website design services more accessible than ever.

Need a powerful website that will instantly boost your online presence?

While website builders offer a great DIY option, you must always consider partnering with a professional website-building company. If there’s one thing that the industry has taught us, it’s that when it comes to crafting a truly professional website, nothing compares to the expertise brought by web developers with years of experience. Are you serious about your online presence? Contact Us Today!