Does Your Start-up Business Need a Website?

If you’re starting a business (or have recently opened your doors) you’ll know the financial juggling act that is launching. Your wish-list is long and you’re $$$ are small!

Chances are you’ve had to make some tough choices about what to spend on. Somewhere along the way, a website will come up as a must have, and you’ll need to evaluate whether this is true for you.

Do all businesses need a website?

This is a question that has one of those annoying ‘it depends’ answers! Why? Because it depends on how your business generates leads and enquiries!

Remember, a website is a part of your strategic arsenal in bringing customers through your doors (virtual or otherwise). Its job is to help you get found online.

So, ask yourself:

• Do I need to get found online?
• Are my potential customers searching online?
• How else will new customers find me?

The reality is, existing businesses with a loyal customer base can get away without having a website because they have been building their credibility, authority and presence for years. However, as a start-up business you are just at the beginning of your journey. You need to tell potential customers and referral partners that you exist, and one way to do this is through your website.
If your potential customers are online, then so should you be!

Does a website really bring leads while you sleep?

Think of your website like a staff member who never takes a holiday, doesn’t go off sick and works day and night. However, this website can be like a super- motivated employee or sloth-like (always on smoko)!
A lazy website sits online and does very little, whereas a super-charged website will work it’s tail off talking to Google and making sure you get eyes on your business. So, yes, a website has the potential to get you leads while you sleep, but only if it’s supercharged!

How do you super-charge your website?

By setting it up to talk to search engines, be seen on social and get featured on directory listings. Why do these things matter? Because each one drives traffic to your website.

Here’s how it works…

Search Engines

The Godfather of search, Google, will check-out new websites to see if they talk the same language. If your website has been optimised for search it’ll shake hands with Google and pay its respects. And Google will send traffic there accordingly. But if it snubs the Godfather with poor title tags, average content and SEO trickery, you’ll be left in the cold on page 27* of search results!  (*just an estimate!)

Be Seen on Social

Social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram are where websites hang out to have fun. Think of it as the place to be seen, meet friends get to know one another. Your website needs to be seen on social to attract potential customers to come visit your site.

Featured on Directory Listings

Directory listings are your website’s best friend. They give you status, showing you’re hanging out with the in-crowd. Each time you list on a directory (like Business Key) you get a backlink to your website. Why is this important? Because directory’s have high authority and when they link to your site it boosts your status too.

So, it’s clear to see your start-up business will benefit from having a website. You don’t need all the bells and whistles from the start though and we recommend talking to an expert first before taking the plunge. Many of the clients at Business Key began with an Business Page in our directory, then moved onto a website.

Take a look at our website packages and drop us a line if you have a question.