Is it still important to have a website?
I get asked this question a lot!
It will of course depend on your type of business but I believe it’s still a number 1 marketing tool for the majority of businesses. I think it’s especially important for creative businesses to have a website due to the fact social media is limited on size and users mostly view content on a smart phone. Having a website will showcase your work in all its glory!
For most businesses a website is still the key to ensuring your digital footprint is legit and credible, looks professional and offers all the important information that would otherwise be quite boring on social media - like T&Cs, Privacy Policies, F&Qs etc… If you’re selling a product or a service then Google validation is key to whether or not a customer chooses to purchase or engage with us or not. Most people feel more comfortable purchasing via a legitimate website that has been actively maintained over a period of time - the longer the better on this point!
Anyone can set up a free social media channel but a website works very differently. They are more complex to set up and get looking great and unlike social media which are free marketing tools, there is obviously a cost element creating a website. If your business is in the early stages of development and budgets are limited, get a small website to start with. Get the style and look just right and get it moving through Google before focusing on spending money on a huge major site that will be tricky to manage.
Owning a website and having access to tools like Google Analytics can help you steer your business in the right directions too. Whereas social media algorithms are always changing, you can have more control over a legitimate website, not to mention control the aesthetics and user experience exactly the way you like.
Conclusion: Yes! It’s my opinion this is still a very important aspect of your overall marketing spend. It doesn’t have to cost the earth if you start small, but will pay dividends in the way of your digital footprint on the WWW being cohesive, professional and legit - if its done well ;)
