5 Reasons Your Website Really Matters

by Gretchen DeVault | March 22, 2015

Your website is likely an untapped resource for your business (and if it’s not -- good for you for taking advantage of the opportunity). Too often, businesses and organizations view their website as a one time marketing effort.

Businesses often spend a great deal of time and resources to build their website. They proudly launch it. Then they forget about it. Soon, it becomes more of a headache than a business tool. No one on staff knows how to update it except the “tech guy”. Your site quickly becomes outdated as technologies change. Your site continues to sit dormant as the digital world and your competitors’ sites evolve. It’s a huge missed opportunity.

Here are five reasons (there are many, many more) why you should prioritize your website and incorporate it as a key tool for your business:

First impressions matter -- in fact, your website may be the ONLY impression you make.

There is no guarantee your potential customers/clients will ever have an interaction with your business beyond your website. Unfortunately, websites are all too often overlooked and neglected by businesses. Your website plays a critical role in customer decision making. Your website should visually represent your business, clearly convey your value and unique selling point. It should also be easy to navigate and find information. Even if your product/service is innovative and fresh, if your website looks like it’s 10 years old, your potential customers will associate that with your product/service.

Consumers are hyper-informed and savvy.

When your potential customers are considering a purchase, it is likely the first step in decision making is researching on the web. In fact, 83% of U.S. consumers research items before purchasing in bricks-and-mortar stores. This is where the content on your website matters. First, can the consumer even find you? Does your company/organization show up in a Google search when a consumer is researching a product/service in your market? Don’t assume they will look for you by name. Second, when and IF they get to your website, are they easily able to navigate your site to find the information they are looking for on your products/services?

Your clients are comparing you to the competition.

That means they are looking at you AND your competition -- even competitors in different geographic markets. Research shows that consumers visit at least three websites before making a decision. How does your business and website compare to competitors (even outside your geographical market)? What makes your business unique and why should the consumer purchase from you?

See more: http://conversionxl.com/people-comparison-shop-stupid/

Your website is a business tool and part of the sales process.

Your website is a business tool with end goal of increasing sales. Is your website set up as such? Have you considered where the website fits within your sales funnel? If not, it’s a missed opportunity. In the past few years, websites have evolved from online brochures to comprehensive business and sales tools. If your website is still basically a digital brochure, it’s time to reevaluate your site and the goals of the site. That doesn’t mean that you need to make your website an ecommerce site, but you do need to consider how your website becomes a part of your sales funnel.

Analytics and ROI.

One of the greatest opportunities with web and digital marketing is the ability to analyze behaviors and conversions of your customers and potential customers. You can track actual conversions and consumer behavior and adjust your website (or digital marketing efforts) accordingly. You can evaluate whether your investments in digital efforts are worth the return you’re getting. Website and digital marketing efforts are all about iteration. Just a few highlights of what analytics can tell you (this is just the tip of the iceberg):

How many consumers are visiting your website
What pages consumers are looking at on your website
How they get to your website
How long they stay on your site or whether they leave your site immediately
Number of consumers who leave your site almost immediately after arriving
Number of conversions or purchases on your website

Gretchen is an experienced web/graphic designer and marketing strategist with a whip-smart aesthetic and solid work ethic. She values intuition and a design process where strategy and human interaction intersect. With more than 15 years of experience working with a wide variety of boutique businesses, corporate and nonprofit clients, she has an established record of creating awesome for her clients.