5 Reasons Why You Need A Goal Focused Website

At the time of writing this article, it’s mid-January 2023 and I am constantly amazed at the number of small businesses that do not have a website or do not see a need one. I hope with that with this blog post I can change your mind.

The two reason I hear most from small businesses for not having a website are as follows. One, they don’t understand why every business needs a website. They don’t understand how a goal focused website can make their life easier. This is usually because they had one or know someone who does, and it didn’t do much for them. Two, I’m on social media and my business is doing fine.

These reasons are completely understandable, but they come from a lack of understanding as to what exactly a goal focused website should be doing for them. As we dive into these “5 Reasons Why You Need A Goal Focused Website For Your Business” I hope to answer the above reasons and more.

So, let’s dive into the 5 reasons why you need a goal focused website for your business…

Social Media Isn’t Enough

Social media isn’t enough. As mentioned above, main reasons I hear small business owners say they don’t want is because they’re active on social media, it’s free and they feel it works for them. I think it’s great. Social media is a must in today’s business world. However, for social media to work, potential clients need to find you. Statistic show year after year that more and more consumers make their purchases online. But even more importantly, the internet is the first place consumers go before they buy.

A website increases brand recognition, credibility and trust. But, a goal focused website is so much more than that. Your site can make sales, answer questions, take messages, make appointments to name a few. But most of all, you control the content you post on your website, you control the messaging. Social media relies on algorithms, likes, shares, and comments.

When you post to social media, the people most like to see your post are those online that around the time you’ve made the post. And soon that post falls further down the timeline to an eventual nothingness. That doesn’t happen to the information on your website. It’s there 24/7 informing consumers, providing information and if you’ve added ecommerce, it’s making sales. Social medial isn’t enough, it’s necessary but it doesn’t come close to offering what a goal focused website can offer.

Showcase Your Work

Whether you’re an artist, author, contractor, or maker of fidget spinners. If you offer a product or service, you need a place to showcase your work. I showcase that you control, that can be found by search engines and answers questions potential clients/consumers have. With a goal focused showcasing your work is one of the priorities. Showing customers exactly what you offer and allowing them to buy or order it right on the spot. This allows two critical things important to any small business. One, it allows for customers to make an informed decision and make a purchase. Two it allows for those impulse buys. Allowing customers to click and buy now is a game changer for any small business.

Outshine your competitors

Did you know that about 40% of small business do not have their own website? This is insane to me. However, just having a website does not guarantee success. Any designer, in fact, almost anyone can build a website now. However, most websites sit around like a paperweight and do nothing but provide the most basic of information about the business. This is usually because they’ve hired a designer maybe even a talented designer that built their business a beautiful website. But, that’s all it is. It’s more art than anything. It’s basically just an online business card.

If you want to outshine your competitors you need a designer that is going to listen to you. Then take that information and convert it into a list of things your website needs, not just what you want. Because most of the times I find what the clients wants is vastly different from what they actually need their website to do.

And when your designer/consultant builds you a goal focused website it will convert. It will do the things you need it to do. This is going to help you, your business and your customers and most of all your website will absolutely outshine your competitors.

Building Credibility and Customer Trust

We’ve hit on this a little in previous reasons but let’s talk more specifically about it. In my experience as someone that’s being building sites since the late ‘90’s a lot of small business see a website as nothing more than a fancy business card so that people on the internet can find them. But there’s more to it than that. I don’t want to downplay the importance of just having a website. Just having even a basic “business card’ website is a good thing because on a psychological level that alone builds consumer trust and credibility.
A good web design makes a profoundly deep first impression with customers. So much so that a bad design, is more likely to drive potential customers away than keep them on the site. A great web design is going to keep the client interested. And the longer they’re there, more credibility and customer trust is being built.

Stats Show Your Business Needs A Website

About 20% of local searches convert to a sale within 24 hours.
A business site with an active blog on average experience 67% more sale opportunities.
69% of the U.S. shop online.
Approximately 60% of consumers do their research via search engines.
This is an astonishing number. An estimated 95% of all purchase will be via ecommerce websites by the year 2040. Every year the number of online shoppers increases. Take advantage of this now. It goes back to building credibility, brand and trust.
Almost 40% of online consumers judge business by how their websites appear.
Strong branding can increase a website’s conversions by 33%.
Almost two-thirds of online shoppers won’t recommend a company with a poor mobile design.