In an era where everyone searches for everything on the internet, having just a physical storefront or a social media page may no longer be enough. Many people might think that having a Facebook page or a TikTok channel is sufficient, but in reality, a website is the heart of doing business today. It’s like our main home in the online world, where anyone can stop by and visit 24 hours a day. And here are 8 simple reasons I’m going to tell you why creating a website is absolutely essential for your business’s online marketing.
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1. A Website Is An Online 'Storefront'
A website is like a clear home or storefront: it has a shop name, product/service details, and contact information. Think about it—if a business didn’t have its own storefront and only sold its goods through other shops (in this case, other online platforms that aren’t its website), and that shop had no permanent address, would you dare to buy from it?
A website is the storefront that proves your business truly exists, instantly building credibility with customers. This is different from other social media platforms because, on a website, you can define and control everything. It is a platform that carries more weight and credibility than just your social media channels.
2. It Builds Professional Credibility
Having your own website helps your business look more professional and credible in the eyes of customers than having only a social media page. It shows that you are serious about your business, ready to provide complete and official information, which is a key factor that influences customers to decide to use your services or purchase your products.
3. Customers Can Order Products And Services 24 Hours A Day
A website is a tool that helps you sell and take service bookings, working 24 hours a day without holidays. It allows customers to buy products or book appointments even outside of business hours.
Nowadays, E-Commerce Website Builders make creating ‘a shop or adding a booking system’ very easy, without needing any knowledge of coding. What you need to do is get your ‘online store’ ready and then connect it to a Payment Gateway system or various forms of online payment acceptance systems. Whether it’s credit cards or QR Code scanning, this will give your website a more complete e-commerce (buying and selling) system.
Currently, there are many Payment Gateway providers, such as services from various banks, OMISE, 2C2P, Xendit, etc.
4. It Is The Center Of Online Marketing
No matter if you promote or create content on Facebook, TikTok, or any other channel, you can ultimately drive all those customers back to your website. Here, you can provide in-depth information, tell your brand’s story, and fully showcase your products.
Most importantly, you own the space 100%. This means no one can set limits on how you design your ‘storefront,’ and you don’t have to worry about the website being shut down (unless the business is illegal).
5. It Is The Starting Point For Investing In SEO For Sustainable Results
Everyone knows well that people often search for products and services on search engines like Google. Optimizing a website to rank on search engines, or SEO (Search Engine Optimization), will help your website appear on those search engine results pages (SERPs), whether it’s ranking at the top of the first page, appearing in AI Search, or even being mentioned in an AI-Overview.
SEO is part of your overall marketing strategy. It’s like installing a signpost that will lead people to your business. The more useful content your website has, the more chances it has to appear when someone searches for something related to what you offer.
This might sound difficult and complicated, but the good news is you don’t have to manage SEO all by yourself. Currently, there are SEO service providers or consultants, ranging from individual freelancers to marketing agencies. I can say with full confidence that creating a website gives you an advantage, allowing you to implement sustainable SEO marketing in the future.
6. It Helps Boost Local SEO
For businesses with a physical storefront, Local SEO is essential. You can connect your website to your Google Business Profile and Google Maps, which helps improve the ranking of your Google Maps pin.
When someone searches for a business like yours in the local area, such as ‘coffee shop near me,’ your shop’s name and its location on the map will appear immediately. It might even rank higher because your website is connected to your Google Maps pin. This makes it more convenient for customers to travel to your shop, directly increasing opportunities for in-store sales.
7. Collect Data For Analysis To Further Develop The Business
Your website can be integrated with tools like Google Analytics 4 to collect data on the behavior of those who visit it, such as which product pages they are particularly interested in, which channels they came from, and how much time they spent viewing. This data can help you analyze customer behavior on the website and can be used to plan more targeted and effective online marketing strategies in the future.
8. It Displays Complete Business Information And Is Sustainable And Permanent
On social media, whether it’s Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram, posts can get buried over time. But on a website, you can organize information in an orderly and permanent way. Whether it’s product catalogs, pricing, promotions, customer reviews, or contact information, customers can find what they need easily and quickly on your website.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Conclusion
In my personal opinion, I see it as more of an advantage than a disadvantage when a business has its own website and doesn’t rely solely on a single social media channel.
One thing that is absolutely guaranteed is that having a good website earns credibility from customers or your potential customer base.
As for the cost of building a website yourself, it might seem expensive, but when compared to what you get in return, I believe it is much more worthwhile than relying on only one social media channel and continuously running ads month after month.
