Have you ever thought, “Why should I invest in a website when I don’t do any work online?” Maybe you’re a plumber who doesn’t understand why you need an online presence when your work is clearly offline, or a contractor who’s always gotten your business from offline word-of-mouth, or a brick-and-mortar business owner who thinks you don’t need to use the web to reach your customers who are right around the corner.

If this sounds like you, there’s a chance that you’ve missed out on lots of revenue recently—and will continue to do so until you launch a website to increase your online visibility. In today’s world, it’s critically important to have a professional, easy-to-navigate website, for more reasons than one.

First of all, being online can seriously improve your chances of being found by new customers. Even if you aren’t online, your customers are, and most of them are doing research on purchase decisions online. In fact, in a recent study, 87% of respondents said they had searched online for local products, services, or businesses in the past month. The stronger your URL and website copy, the more likely your business is to appear in search results on Google and other search engines when people look for things like “plumber near me” or “HVAC repair in Birmingham.” While a search is often the first step, a strong website copy is the second. In that same survey, 73% of consumers said they visited local businesses’ websites to help make a purchase decision. Internet search and website visits are used by customers more than all other methods of research, including recommendations from friends and family, newspaper circulars, radio, and social networks.

Second, a good website can make it easier for customers to find the information they want to know before making a purchase decision, plus information they need to get in touch when they’re ready to buy. Having a website will allow you to tell your story, boost your brand, and draw customers in. Ask yourself, “If I was a customer considering hiring me for the first time, what would I want to know?” Things like an about page, your contact information (phone, email, and hours of operation), and a strong services page can help boost your brand and make a compelling case for why customers should want to work with you.

As a bonus, codifying this information on your website can save you loads of time. Instead of running through the same details with every single customer, you can reference pages on your website. Prospective and current customers alike will appreciate price lists, services offered, and other FAQs being only a click away.

A good online presence can also seriously improve your credibility. In fact, 84% of consumers say businesses with websites are more credible than those without! Many customers will choose (or exclude!) a service provider based on information online alone, so if you’re not in the mix, you’re going to miss out. If you don’t have a website and your competition does, you may end up looking like a less serious player.

The best part is, it’s quick and easy to get these benefits. Just Contact Us and we can help you get started with a shiny new website!

Studies show that 29% of small businesses still don’t have websites—that’s 29% of businesses that are missing out on the huge benefits of having an online presence and losing a war on credibility that they may not even be aware they’re battling. Don’t let yourself be one of them. Get your small business website up and running today.