“How much does a website cost?” is a common question I get from clients.
It’s a valid question. Price is usually the first thing that comes to mind when building a website.
But, the bigger question is: “how much does it cost to not have a good website?”
To be a serious business, you need to invest in your marketing and that starts with your website.
Your website is foundational to your business. Think of your website like a trusty employee. That helps you connect with your audience, sells your solution to their problem, and increases your overall productivity.
A website isn’t a cost, it’s an investment. It’s a key piece of your marketing puzzle. It’s what helps you establish and grow your business online. If you aren’t willing to make that investment, your audience will be headed straight into the trusting arms of your competitors (and they are already online and thriving!).
To help you make an informed decision about your website, I’m breaking down 4 major reasons why your website is one of the best investments you can make for your business for reaching your growth goals.
1. You need to look professional.
Your website is the foundation of your digital marketing and the core of your online visibility.
Your website should represent your business values, your audience, the problem you help them solve, and, most importantly, your WHY.
If your website looks like it hasn’t been updated since 1992, or your copy is full of big fancy words, visitors will be skeptical of your business.
You don’t need to be a millionaire to create a website that honors these elements of your business. Starting simple, even with just a one-page website is totally fine — as long as it’s effective, resonates with you and your audience’s needs, and is easy to navigate.
Regardless of the amount of money you are investing in your website, you need to ensure it aligns with your growth goals and authentically represents your business to your audience.
2. You need to build trust with your audience.
Have you ever landed on a company’s website that had a solution to a problem you were facing, only to feel immediately uncomfortable or annoyed? It was crowded with too many words, too many images, too many pop-ups. You couldn’t find the answers to your questions. There were spelling errors and not a single helpful testimonial.
As a result, you moved on.
Why? Because they weren’t clear on what you needed to feel safe in making the purchase; they didn’t value building trust with you.
Understanding who your audience is, what their needs are, and the problem they have that you solve is the core of content strategy. In identifying this key information, you can write content that resonates with your audience’s problems, their lifestyle, their needs, and support them in making a decision.
Authentic communication (as well as a user-friendly website!) is key to building trust. To get there, you need a solid strategy and that means investing in your brand story.
If your audience is not aware of how you serve them, how to take action, and why you’re the best solution for them, you will not gain their trust and they will move on to your competitor.
3. You need to compete in your market.
Your competitors have already invested in their website and are currently investing in their ongoing marketing growth. If you aren’t willing to keep up and showcase why your audience should choose you, simply because you want to save a few dollars, business growth is going to be an ongoing challenge.
A huge part of your initial website investment is its optimization. To strategically compete with your competitors, visibility through search engine optimization (SEO) and strategic copy is a huge piece of your marketing puzzle.
You need to make it as easy as possible for your audience to find you online. Simply put, if your audience can’t find you, there are 40,000 + other websites Google will send them to in that very second.
4. To grow, you need to sow.
The truth is, to grow towards your goals, you need to invest to get there.
The concept of an investment is to put money forward to receive something of even more value in return.
Think about your education. You don’t “buy” a degree and not gain any value from it. You invest in your education and in return receive knowledge, growth, and opportunities.
A cost is very different from an investment.
The same goes for your website. You’re investing in your business growth. To reach your growth goals, you have to put in what you want to get out (and then some!).
To make money with your website, you need to show your audience you’re worth the purchase.
So, how much would it cost you to invest in your website?
Let’s get you clear and focused towards your growth goals with a website that will serve you, your business, and your clients best.
Book a call for us to identify where you are at and where you want to go. Once we’ve identified your goals, we’ll develop a plan of action that gets you growing.