Right now, you probably have a hundred other problems. Is it really worth getting involved in yet another hassle that will cost both time and money? We think so. Firstly, because creating a website isn't a big deal. Secondly, read this article about what we believe are the most important reasons why you should.
If you're not on Google, you don't exist.
Imagine someone tells you they visited a great fishing shop five years ago, say, in Tornakalns. You're in the city center, unsure of the exact address, or whether it's still open. It's perfectly logical that your first instinct as a modern human is to open Google and check the information. What are the chances you'll travel to a remote location if Google doesn't show the shop in the results? And what are the chances if you find a full-fledged website for the shop, complete with opening hours and product descriptions? You see, we can actually answer many questions ourselves, based on our experience; we just need to know what to ask ourselves.
Google itself, as a platform, can make or break entire businesses. If your future website falls into the right hands, the search engine algorithm will love it so much that it will show it at the top of the results. Even if a customer simply searches for "fishing shop in Tornakalns" without knowing the shop's name, it will show its opening hours, location on a map, and phone number.
Website vs. Social Media Accounts
Let's assume the fishing shop has a Facebook account, which is certainly much better than nothing. At least it can be found through search, although Google won't show any additional information. But what if it's only one of five fishing shops located in Tornakalns, and all the others have websites? You'll likely choose one with its own website, thinking it's a more serious business, likely to have more knowledgeable salespeople and a larger product selection.
While social media is an alternative and shouldn't be discarded, a website is, firstly, easier to navigate, allows you to categorize service or product listings and catalogs, build a strong company image, and gain important points for the Google algorithm. Secondly, you control what and in what order potential buyers see. Of course, a Facebook account can also be used to post photos, inform about promotions, and business hours, but keep in mind that posts will always appear in the order they were posted. And, unfortunately, you can't rely on people carefully examining every image you ever post on Facebook.
Of course, social media also has its advantages. It allows you to easily maintain relationships with regular customers—your followers. Therefore, when asked whether it's better for a company to create a website or social media accounts, our answer is both.
Ready-made answers to customer questions
So, let's return to the fishing store in Torņakalns. Let's imagine it's been open for many years, and both the owners and the sales staff are well aware of customers' common questions. What brands of lures do you carry? Do you also sell hunting gear? Can I get fishing licenses from you? This is where a website can save staff time. If the answers are easily accessible and legible on the website, the flood of repetitive questions will decrease.
Even better if the store's page includes a product catalog. In 2019, Forbes conducted a study on the modern phenomenon that marketers abbreviate as ROBO, or research online / buy offline. In their survey, 81% of people admitted to first looking at a product online and then going to buy it. It's worth noting that 60% begin their search on Google. These are quite impressive figures when you translate them into purchases.
So, let's consider a hypothetical situation again. A potential buyer is interested in spinnerbaits. They search for "spinnerbaits." Using these keywords, they find a fishing tackle shop in Tornkalne, where, due to the store's location being out of the city center, the prices are better. The customer researches and reads everything, but they decide to go shopping in person because they want to see their spinnerbaits in person and consult with an experienced salesperson. Bingo!
Long-Term Investment
A good website is definitely a long-term investment. For example, a fishing store is doing well, and the owner decides to also sell to hunters. If the website has a strong and logical structure, expanding its product range will be easy. It will continue to receive bonuses from Google's algorithm, and what's more, the points will continue to accumulate.
Of course, professional developers will help determine the scale of the website project, taking into account both the company's specific needs and the budget.
A small shop targeting local customers will be fine with short descriptions, but a large company with a specific product range might even consider investing in an online store. But in both cases, the answer to the question of whether a website is worth creating is yes.