Many small and micro-business owners experience website fatigue and question maintaining their domain name and paying the annual hosting fees. After all, social media is easy and free, which makes it even more difficult to justify the cost of having a website.
Besides, websites are more involved than most business owners can manage on their own so often requires contracting a web designer to do updates and it just gets too costly. Why even have a website when social media pages have all the info a shopper needs to connect? Plus, Etsy allows many owners to do sales online and is much easier to maintain than the online shopping tool used by many websites.
So the question of the day is: Are websites still relevant?
According to a number of digital media pros, the answer is a resounding yes!
Consider your website as the anchor that keeps all other media tied together. Jonathan Cook, founder and CEO of New Zealand based Neon Hive – a digital design and development company – explains that social media platforms are essentially sales funnels that drive people to the main hub: Your website. It is here that people can do a deep dive into your offerings, explore other avenues of sales, and discover a more carefully curated body of information.
Cook explains that a website tells your story your way and, in more depth, than allowed in short social media bites. “Websites are inspiring,” notes Cook. For both the visitor and the owner. Profitworks agrees and has other reasons to maintain a website. A website adds credibility to any business and activity can be tracked that allows the owner to make changes based on where visitors come from, platforms used, and how long they stay on any page. A webpage instantly gives a company – including micro companies – instant world-wide access. Plus, it is hard to deny a platform that has a proven track record. Profitworks notes that 93% of all online purchases begin with a web search.
Now for some really good news. Websites are easier and cheaper to create than ever before. There are numerous web building platforms available (Wix, Weebly, WordPress, SquareSpace) and many more web creators who can build what you need for what you can afford. Mudge Media offers these services and offers coaching so that clients can easily do their own updates.
The next few blogs will focus on different components to building a successful website including simple tips that enable anyone to improve their SEO (Search Engine Optimization) by incorporating key words into webpages and advice on how to keep your website simple to update and simple to navigate.
Image by Edvard Munch.