As social media tightens its influence
over global culture and video sharing platforms such as YouTube attract more
and more users, you could easily argue that there is little need for your
business to have a website.
This is an understandable viewpoint,
especially when you consider that it is free to create a social media account,
whereas websites will undoubtedly cost you money from the start. Furthermore,
social media and video streaming platforms are where the majority of online
audiences are, so you could argue that cutting out the middleman (your website)
is both cost-effective and plain logical.
However, this is to ignore the
fundamental value of a website, which social media and other online avenues
cannot match. A website acts as your front of the house, the central place from
which the rest of your online estate (social media accounts, etc.) can orbit.
Without it, customers may not fully understand what it is you offer.
This is what you need to know about
whether a website is still a valuable asset for your company:
Websites
have never been so easy to build and manage
The first factor you need to bear in
mind when it comes to websites is that, while social media accounts are easy to
set up, so are basic websites.
There are now many platforms - such as WordPress - which allow you to quickly create a functioning website. You don't even have to design and build it by yourself, instead of hiring the services of a website construction team who specialize in WordPress development.
A website
is your digital shop window
One of the most crucial benefits of a
website as a business asset is that it allows you the ideal platform to show
off your goods and services.
While social media platforms are great
for specific tasks (whether that is sharing pictures, interacting with
customers, or uploading videos), they can’t offer your audience a rounded customer
experience.
A website allows you to sell your
products, offer contact information, host a
blog, and give your customers a more
in-depth look at what you do exactly.
You
shouldn’t create a website if you are not fully invested in it
However, you also shouldn't have a website if you are not fully invested in it.
All the benefits can also be a
drawback, because if all you are showing on your site is a few empty pages, broken
links, and a neglected blog, then customers are going to form a more negative
view of your business than is necessarily warranted based on your products.
Therefore, you need to be committed to
your website. Ensure it is well-populated and attractive, with an
easy-to-navigate layout.
A website
offers corporate independence
A lesser-mentioned benefit of
having a website is that it offers your business
relative independence.
Social media platforms are closely
monitored, and it is easy for their algorithms to accidentally shut your
accounts down, ban you from their networks or force you to remove
content.
Whatever the reasons they may have, this is incredibly inconvenient and can cause your business to collapse if you have no other audience to fall back on.
While websites are still hosted by exterior
corporations, you will have far more of a say over your content, as well as be
able to better protect the audience you have cultivated.
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