Do I need a website if I have an online business?
You don’t need a blog or website if you have an online business. You can make money by using landing pages, sharing affiliate links, using MLM websites or posting offers online and sending interested clients payment links. A website does not have to be your first step and not having one shouldn’t hold you back from starting your business.
If you wish to build up your business, your own website can be a huge benefit, however. It makes your business look more professional. It provides a central place to share your products and display your testimonials. Having your own website will also allow you to further reach a broader audience. As of April 2023, there were 5.18 billion internet users worldwide. Your ideal clients are there among those users and searching for your business’s website.
You need an online address for your business
Whether you choose to create a website or not, it is vital that you have an online address for your business. You should invest in purchasing your own domain name. Your domain is your business’s address on the world wide web. It is the URL that people use to find you. It needs to be yours and yours alone.
Why your business needs a unique domain
Never build your business on borrowed ground.
If nothing else, you must own the address where people find your business online. You must own your own custom domain.
Imagine that you have created an amazing online following. Everyone knows your business, but you have built your website on someone else’s platform. Your clients are finding you at mybusiness.joesplatform.com.
One day you find another platform that is a better fit for your business. It might offer more features and be at a better price point. When you leave joesplatform.com for janesbettersite.com, you will not be able to tell your clientele your new address. There is no way for you to put up a sign on Joe’s Platform saying that you have moved. All the pages and posts that you created on Joe’s Platform that are ranking really well on search engines will now lead nowhere! Your clients will think that you have gone out of business.
When you have purchased your own domain name, you have one permanent address for your business. You can change platforms, edit pages, or build out a brand-new site, but your address on the world wide web stays the same. Your potential customers will never know that you made a change. Your previous customers will still be able to find you!
Having your own domain name also gives you more credibility with your audience. According to a 2015 survey from Verisign, 84% believe a business with a website is more credible than one that only has a social media page.
When do you need a website?
If you are serious about your business, you will eventually want to point your domain name to a place that fully reflects your business. You will want your own website. Your site will display your products or offers. It will allow you to share reviews and testimonials. A website will help potential clients get to know you more.
When you decide that your business has reached the stage that it needs its own site there are many options. You can reach out to a web designer to build something for you, or you find a design template that fits your needs and publish it on a fast, reliable server.
What are the key parts of a website?
When you decide that you are ready for your own website, you should ensure that the site has:
- An eye-catching home page with strategic use of titles, images, graphics, and testimonials.
- A navigation bar that is easy to find and intuitive to use.
- An About Us page letting people know who you are and why you are offering what you are offering.
- An obvious and straightforward way to contact you.
Does every website need a blog?
A blog adds another layer of value for your clients. It answers questions that they may have about your products or services. It lets them know that you are an expert in your niche.
A blog is also a great way to drive traffic to your business. Each blog post should be geared to answer a question that your potential client may have. Your potential clients are searching online for these answers. By creating optimized blog posts with their answers, you will drive traffic to your website organically (without paid ads). When you are the one with the answers, you build up the know, like, and trust factor with your audience.
Make sure to review your blog posts on a regular basis to ensure that they are being read and are still relevant to your users. See how to do this using the button below.
You don’t need to have a website but it helps
You don’t have to have a website for your business. You can start small and use free platforms. If you are serious about growing your business however, you should at least purchase your own domain. If you plan to grow your business, you will want to create your own website and provide supporting content in an up-to-date, optimized blog.
