Creating a website for your business may seem like a daunting or even impossible task, but before you completely decide to rule out the idea let’s explore the benefits a website can provide to your business.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the business world and many consumers are looking for online channels to reach and explore a business. I know for myself, aside from using social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, I am constantly browsing the websites of businesses that offer products of interest to me.
First Point of Contact
As I mentioned above, many consumers use businesses websites to browse the products, get to know the company, and look at pricing and promotions. In many cases, your website will be the first point of contact for your target market!
Consumers can learn about the products or services that you offer at their own pace and convenience. This alone will help you attract a larger audience than those who would typically visit your brick-and-mortar location to inquire about the products or services you offer. Consumers that research a business prior to buying often tend to be pickier however they can offer a higher customer lifetime value.
Business Credibility
Most individuals need to see a brand’s products or learn about its services multiple times before they move into the next stage of the buyer’s journey. You can help those in your target audience move from the awareness stage, into the consideration, and even the conversion stage by having a user-friendly website! Now you might be asking, “How would a website move my potential audience into the next stage?” Your website can play a few roles which will contribute to consumers moving through the buyer’s journey and closer to purchase. I’ll talk about this more in a future blog so don’t forget to subscribe to my blog updates below!
As a consumer begins to navigate and explore your website, brand credibility is built over time as they learn more about your business as a whole and the products or services you offer. Brand credibility plays a huge role in a buyer’s decision. Repeat after me: CONSUMERS BUY FROM BRANDS THEY TRUST! Let consumers interact with your website in different ways to build credibility and familiarity! Consider incorporating:
A blog to share tips, news, and other information that will be useful to your target audience
Catalogue of products
Description of services that you offer
Your brand’s story
Downloadable resources
E-commerce store
Decide what aspects are right for your business by looking at competitor sites, creating focus groups, and learning from the interactions with your customers.
Help You Dive into the E-Commerce World
More and more consumers enjoy the luxury and convenience of online shopping. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a huge increase in e-commerce and many businesses expanded to incorporate e-commerce. Take a look at the graph below to see the spike in e-commerce during the past year in Canada.
E-commerce works great for businesses that sell physical products or can sell services online. Even if e-commerce isn’t suitable for your business there are other alleys you can add to your website to make it easier for the consumer to move through the buyer’s journey. Some examples include:
Subscribe (to newsletters, blogs, etc.)
Book a virtual meeting
Contact form
Creating a website takes a lot of work, time, and can sometimes cost a pretty penny. Take it upon yourself to do your research and decide what kind of website would best suit your business and cater best to your target audience. Feeling extra creative? Try building the website yourself! Platforms such as Wix and SquareSpace offer user-friendly templates to help create the final masterpiece. YouTube offers great tutorial videos to help you work through the process.
Don’t have the time to build your website? Book a FREE virtual meeting with an a2z-marketing specialist to learn how we can help you create your dream website without breaking the bank.
Resources
Want to learn more about the buyer's journey? Download the free resource below!
References
2020. Statistics Canada. Retail e-commerce and COVID-19: How online shopping opened doors while many were closing. [Graph]. Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2020001/article/00064-eng.htm