Many business owners ask, “Since I have a small business with a small workforce, and since we don’t sell anything online, do I need a website?”

The answer is YES!

If you have a business, you should have a website to avoid losing business to competitors that already have one.

It’s common for businesses to rely on Facebook or other social media platforms as their main advertisement channel. And these channels offer advantages.

For example, they help build a larger audience and even help you carry out market research. However, a Facebook page should not replace your business website.

An effective website is where you want your audience from different channels to end up. It’s on the website that you’ll inspire action from your potential clients.

Your website is like a physical shop—people walk by it until they come in to look at what you offer. So even if they don’t buy something the first time they walk in, they might buy something on subsequent visits.

Many businesses do a great job of getting referral customers and tapping their existing network for new business. If this is you, then perhaps a website is not that important. This assumes, of course, that your Rolodex will continue to be an effective mechanism for you to get all the new business you need.

An effective website will contain plenty of important information your customers need. Therefore, there’s no need for them to call about location, hours of operation, and other simple questions. By helping customers, a website improves the overall customer experience.