We are already deep in the 21st century, and the Internet has been the technology that spread like wildfire over the last decade. Today, everybody is online. Consequently, competition is high. If you are trying find out if your website needs a redesign, chances are, it does. Having a modern and user-friendly website is as important as having an inviting storefront. If your website hasn’t had a redesign in the last five years, or even worse, if you don’t have a website at all, it is time to stop for a moment and seriously evaluate what you need to do about it.
Everybody is Out There
You know the saying “Don’t follow the crowd, let the crowd follow you”? When it comes to having a website, you can interpret this in two ways. If you decide you don’t need a website, the crowd is never going to follow you. Your competitors are already online, and they are counting the money made from online sales. You are missing out on a massive opportunity to attract new customers and increase your sales. So in that sense, if you don’t have a website, it is better to start following the crowd.
However, if you still want to beat the crowd, be smart and join them. Then beat them at their own game. Having an exceptional website that has a stunning design, great functionality and provides customers with an amazing user experience will set you apart from the crowd and make them follow you as an example and try to catch up with you.
Potential Customers
The Internet is much more than the place we go to when we want to chat with our friends. How many times have you been searching for information online, and a few hours later you found yourself clicking a BUY NOW button? We have all been there, and that includes your potential customers. Having a website opens the doors to a larger outreach. Even if you have a brick and mortar shop, people who don’t go in that area will have no idea that you exist. They might desperately need your products or services, but they can’t find you online. The modern shopper conducts online research first, then makes their decision based on the findings. Don’t close the door to new possibilities by not having a website. Also, remember that if your website goes back to the beginning of the century, you need to sort that out. An outdated website is almost the same as not having a website at all. It will not be optimized to the modern standards. When a customer goes on to your outdated website, they might even question if the business is still open since the website hasn’t been updated for a long time.
The competition is fierce, and in order to impress your potential customers, you need a website that will tell them that you are a modern business who goes forward together with the times. A business that will tick all of the criteria that customer have and that will tell a story why they should choose you over any other business in the field.
A Website Doesn’t Have Opening Hours
Your physical store must have opening hours. That means that you are not always there when the customers are ready to make a purchasing decision. On the other hand, websites go beyond the 9 to 5 working they. They operate 24 hours every day so you will not miss out on any potential business.
Let’s say you sell unique handmade jewelry. You have a local shop, and everybody loves your creations. However, your opening hours are usually the same hours when your potential customers are at work. Even if they wanted to, they do not have the possibility to go to your shop and see what you have to offer. If you have a neatly designed website that showcases your products in the correct light, the potential customers can go online and can see the items. If you offer delivery, you are additionally opening the purchase funnel for them to start going through. However, even if you don’t offer home delivery, your website will still help your customers decide if they want to get a certain item. Once the decision is made, they can quickly stop to your shop during their lunch break to make a purchase, or even send a photo to a friend who is free and ask them to get it for them.
Learn From the Data
The beauty of having a website is the fact that you can measure the results. You can see where the traffic is coming from, the hours when there is a high volume of traffic and the demographics of your visitors. You can analyze that data and adjust your strategy accordingly. Additionally, when it comes to the actual design on your website, you can monitor the response of your customers by experimenting with different layouts and colors.
Having a website today is a must for all business. But having a well-designed website is something that shouldn’t be underestimated. Having an online presence for the sake of having it is not enough. A modern and user-friendly website can be a miracle-worker for small businesses, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to reach new heights.