If you’ve just starting out or have a business that is already doing well then you have probably wondered if there’s any point in having a website?

Well take a look below for 10 reasons why a website will help you and your business in the long run:

1. Help Build Trust

Potential clients might want reassurance about your company, look at previous work you’ve done and details on your expertise and experience. These are all the things you can showcase on your own website.

2. Easy Accessibility

Your website is the portal and main point of contact. Of course you will have a telephone number but a website with an e-mail address or online enquiry form allows customers to get in touch outside of typical working hours or late at night when you’re not available to talk.

3. Strengthening Your Brand

You might have a flourishing Facebook page, engage with customers on Twitter and interact with people using LinkedIn, but having a website strengthens your brand and presence on the web. It could be a simple 3/4 page website, but as long as it looks professional and includes all the important information about your business, it can only help.

4. Keep Customers Up-To-Date

Not for everyone or every business, but it is easy to add-on a blog to keep your audience updated on the latest news and developments with your business. Certainly with companies that deal primarily with the public, engaging in your day-to-day or weekly activities can keep people engaged and strengthen your reputation.

5. Improve Your Social Networks

As previously mentioned, you might be doing well on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter but having a website to compliment them can make all the difference.

You can drive people to your website whenever it gets updated, or you’re offering a special offer – create a buzz and excitement about your business and products!

6. Offer Loyal Customers Special Offers

With a separate, stand alone website, it is easy to have a ‘members only’ area where loyal or returning customers can login to get special offers. Or perhaps you’ve built up a decent mailing list and want to sent special deals or ‘20% off’ promotions? You can do all this from your own website.

7. Sell Your Products

You might not want to sell online today but what about in the future? Many businesses that sell online didn’t start that way. What better way than to build an online presence, gain people’s trust in your brand and then offer something online? Once you’re ready to sell a new product online the hard work has already been done!

8. Streamline Customer Support & Save Valuable Time

You’re running your own business and spare time is of a premium – so let your website take away one of the biggest burdens! Instead of replying to Facebook messages or phone calls with simple enquiries, have an FAQ section on your website or an online enquiry form to streamline your customer service requirements.

Facebook messages and phone calls are still valuable selling tools, but it’s important they don’t dominate the vast majority of your time.

9. It Looks More Professional 

When a lot of businesses start up, they will use a free e-mail provider such as Virgin, AOL or Microsoft to setup a point of contact. For example, if your business was called Davis Autos, then typically you would register an e-mail address such as davesautoshop@outlook.com.

But wouldn’t it look more professional if you had an e-mail address such as info@davesautoshop.com? It’s easier to remember, more professional and people know what your website is from the address.

And if you’re worried about losing your old e-mail address, then don’t because you can always forward your fancy new address to your old one!

10. Having A Presence & Google’s Influence

How many times have heard people say “I’ll Google it”? If I want an Indian restaurant I’ll just type that in Google it it knows where I’m located and will list the websites of all the ones local to myself. If you don’t have a website then you could be losing out on customers.

Facebook and Twitter are excellent social networking websites and have a huge audience (pretty much everyone has a Facebook profile these days) which should not be ignored, but Google’s influence should not be ignored either!