In this age of social media platforms, instant gratification, and short-term, flashy marketing, it can be easy to persuade yourself that a website and email list are becoming less important. We connect with our most engaged followers almost daily, if not more, on any social platform of our choosing. Our followers regularly see the highs and lows of our days, new product or service announcements, a showcase of our best work, and so much more. A website seems like so much extra work – and so boring! What’s the point?
Well, we’d love to tell you.
A beautiful, engaging website is still essential in today’s small business world. With a plethora of online tools at your disposal, they’re easier to create than you might think. Here are 3 reasons why we believe owning your own website is critical:
Social Media is rented space – a website is property that you own.
Yep, that’s right. Think of your online presence like a home. Social media is basically a rental agreement. You do not own your profiles, and ultimately if the “landlords” decided to kick you out with no warning, they absolutely could. Chances are, you’ve experienced something like “Facebook Jail,” or someone hacking your Instagram, or know someone who has. No one can tell you to leave when you own your “home” online.
A permanent website communicates consistency and dependability.
Anyone can start a social media page, gain followers, and post photos. In fact, most people have them on multiple platforms. These days, a social media profile needs to communicate a trustworthiness that is essential when building a legitimate business – but with a platform who’s message longevity is determined by “likes” it can feel more like a popularity contest than social proof of your business legitimacy. Now, while anyone can also build a website, only some do. So, creating a complete, well-thought-out, and professionally branded website takes your legitimacy to a whole new level. Plus, you can control what it looks like and what your visitors see. This means, you can make your most important information front and center so that you’re easy to contact, easy to understand, and easy to book.
Websites are easier to build than you think.
Often, business owners believe that building a website is complicated and overwhelming. So, instead, they opt for the social-media-only route. This is a mistake (as outlined above). There are so many great website-building tools that make the process fairly simple and painless. Some of these include Wix, GoDaddy, Squarespace, and Showit. These companies offer pre-built templates, free or low-cost options, and web hosting.
Friends, we can’t say this enough. Relying on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or (God forbid) TikTok is not enough. If those platforms disappeared tomorrow, what would you do? How would you contact your customers? How would you find new ones? You need your own professional space in this online world.
One of the best ways to make your website look trustworthy and professional is with professional branding images. Having a photography session that highlights your company, your work, and your face is crucial to making your mark online. Branding photos give your company visual credibility, which we all know from social media to be a critical factor in attracting clients and building trust.
You can do this! We believe in you! It may seem daunting, but you will discover you can do more than you thought you could! And since you’re ready to build a new site or revamp your old one, drop us a line to get those brand photos scheduled! Let’s make your website kick-ass online!