Elevate Your Online Presence
The online space is a very big and daunting space indeed. Looking back at the time when I first started my graphic design business, having a website was IT and getting that website was a very costly and involved process.
Now however, small businesses everywhere enjoy a plethera of social media platforms which are not only free, but super easy to access and use and can grow your audience almost overnight. So I can totally understand why business owners choose to stick to what’s working for them instead of putting in the time and effort of creating a website.
But here’s the thing…. the social media space is noisy and crowded and it’s not yours. You’re playing in someone elses’ backyard and they can tell you to pack up and go home anytime they want to. Algorithms change (constantly!), platforms go down, and accounts are hacked or shut down. You put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into building your business and you deserve to be in control.
The Benefits of Having a Business Website
You get to control your information and content, and how your audience receives it.
Through online forms and a central contact email, you can maintain control of your enquiries making sure you don’t overlook any.
You can integrate back-end automation functions and CRM applications to save you time communicating with customers.
People with a direct and immediate needs can use search engines like Google to find your business and get their questions answered.
Having a website that’s well-designed, is easy to navigate and contains a wealth of information sets you apart as a professional, and an expert in your field.
Having all your business information in one place and easily accessible serves your customer well. They shouldn’t have to keep sending you DMs to get answers to basic operating information. By making things easy for your audience, they will more likely turn into loyal customers.
A central hub of information is also helpful and time-saving for you, the business owner. Every enquiry can be directed to a pre-published policy, contract, price list, or blog post - saving you from explaining the same thing multiple times.
There are many platforms that make it easy for you to make quick changes and keep your website current and relevant (eg. Squarespace or Wordpress). Once a designer has set your website up properly, they can hand it over to you to keep updated.
A custom wesite allows you to design and create a customer experience that fits your brand.
The ‘Cons’ of Relying Solely on Social Media for Your Online Presence
Social media platforms are owned and controled by others. They’re free to make changes that greatly affect your business.
Most business startups usually begin by creating a facebook page or instagram account to test the waters and see how things pan out. Having a custom website sets you apart as a professional business who is seriously in it for the long haul.
Receiving messages or DMs on multiple social media platforms is really hard to keep track off. These are people are potentially wanting to give you money so clear, thorough and intentional communication is vital to serving them best.
The constant notifications at all hours of the day or night can also be mentally taxing on business owners. Most feel the need to respond straight away which interrupts your other business activities. By having all enquiries funneled in through email or a contact form, you can set aside a dedicated time to answer enquiries - or even hire a VA to manage your inbox.
Social media is a very vulnerable space with accounts getting hacked into all the time.
Social media platforms come and go - think MySpace, Periscope, Vine, Google+. A website is yours, the content is yours, and it’s online and available until you say otherwise.
So, while it may be tempting to keep using your social media channels to conduct business, I encourage you to consider creating a website that will be your ‘shop’ where you serve your customer, and keep social media ‘social’. Use it as a way to connect with people, and then if they are interested in doing business with you, they can do so via your website.
And if it all sound daunting, feel free to reach out. I love using Squarespace to design websites, and I even walk you through it - step by step - so you’ll be able to take control and make ongoing changes yourself.