As a new year is upon us in the business world, we see how quickly things can evolve for different types of businesses. What was once a marketing and sales department that relied heavily on house calls and mail service has now turned to finding solutions in the digital realm to grow their business with new leads.
With people choosing the internet rather than a physical business it has forced most enterprises to find their digital footprint with their own website. And while many businesses have already taken a majority of their marketing online, some have not made the jump. It is hard to imagine someone not having a website, but what would happen if your business didn’t have a website in 2023?
1. Minimize Brand Recognition
While having a physical location and word-of-mouth may have been all you needed to drive customers to your business in the past, that won’t work for much longer. At a minimum it won’t help with sustainable growth for most companies. A website drives awareness for your business and is a key tool for marketing your brand, building awareness and trust.
Without having the credibility that comes with a website, you are setting your business up for the potential loss of customers. Websites essentially are a digital billboard, storefront, and sales person for your business and are used as a tool for your customers to become more knowledgeable about what you’re selling. Without that website, you create a lack of recognition and awareness, and you don’t have a platform to build consideration for the brand, and without these losing sales.
2. Losing Customers To Your Competitors
It is much more likely for your competitors to have a website than not, let alone other digital marketing efforts. With no website, this puts your business at a major disadvantage. Most of the population is using a search engine to find what they need, and if you don’t have a digital footprint on the web you are missing out on a majority of consumers, and losing to your competitor.
More often than not, your customers start their buying process online. They use the internet to search for the best recommendations, leading them to a string of business websites that may help with their needs. Finding a brand that can help allows customers to look at a business’s reviews, testimonials, and any other information about a business they might seek. While your competitors are becoming known and considered through a simple Google search, you’re missing out on a common opportunity. Not having a website or even an outdated website could be driving your customers to your competitors.
3. Loss of Information To Your Customer
If your brand is not available online, you lose the ability to communicate easily with your customers. Whether simply changing your store hours or introducing more products, your customers are in the dark unless they come to or call your location. Not having a readily available service like a website let alone a Google Business Profile will only drive new and existing customers away.
A website not only allows you to promote and sell your products to your target customers, but it also gives you the ability to explain what your business does clearly. Having a sole location online where people can see the credibility of your business will only gain awareness for your brand. It also allows customers to see and leave reviews – any feedback is good feedback for a business. Customers use the information they find to make choices for their needs, between the information you provide and the reviews and testimonials left by other customers, and having a website is just a piece of building your online reputation.
4. Your Old Marketing Habits Will Go Unnoticed
Digital marketing is the present and future of business growth. The time of traditional marketing like billboards, newspaper ads, or any print media is not where people are likely making their buying decisions anymore. Not only will marketing efforts used online bring in more traffic for your business,they will also allow you to monitor the efficiency of a campaign.
Using online services, you can get detailed reports of what’s working for your business and what isn’t and therefore improve your sales. Getting your website noticed on a Google search is the first step on a successful digital marketing road.
Get Your Website Journey Started Today
Because you have read this article, you may have a website, but when was the last time you had an update? What you need is a professional web design and development team. At Iceberg Web Design, we know of all the latest trends in marketing and branding for your business’s website and digital marketing efforts. With our help, we’ll make your transition to the present as swift and easy as possible.
