In the age of social media is it worthwhile having a website? Well, let’s start with why a website is valuable. As with all branding and marketing of a business, it is a collection of touchpoints or assets that customers can interact with that will create an effect. Anything you do on its own will be very limited in its impact. You may have the best Facebook or Instagram page however if there is nowhere to send that traffic then you are missing an opportunity. Alternatively, someone might find your website through Google and then follow your social channels to stay up to date.
Customers like to engage with a mix of media when making their purchase decision, long-form articles, pictures, videos, testimonials, reviews, etc. Different platforms excel at different things. I rarely decide to purchase a product from an image on Instagram normally I go to the business's website to read more about the product and the business. Websites create a sense of credibility; they signify that a business is real and someone that you can trust to do business with.
These reasons are good but not specific to websites. The main benefit that a website has over all other social media accounts is that you own it. This might not seem important but how often does Instagram or Facebook change its algorithm and your business is no longer at the top of the results. If you don’t know, social media algorithms are constantly changing to suit their customers. In some cases social media platforms can fall out of favor with people, e.g. Vine, Tumblr, etc and new platforms emerge e.g. TikTok. It is a lot of effort to keep up with social media trends. However, your website is a place where you are in complete control, it is consistent, and you can decide what information you want to show customers. A website can contain all types of media from articles to photos and videos and can even show your social media feeds.
So you might be thinking that you can just throw up a website and gain these benefits. Having a website is a key step, however, a website needs to be up to date and compliment your brand. I am sure we have all visited a website that is old and clunky and a terrible experience, it is an instant turn-off and can hurt the credibility of a business. Further, if your website does not suit your brand it can send mixed messages to your clients. If you have a clean sophisticated brand but your website is cluttered, and messy customers may not trust that you are the business they want to buy from.
Of course, we can help with your website if you would like something beautifully designed to suit your business. However, if you want to try it yourself, check out our social channels for tips and tricks to get the best out of your website.