Today, as consumers, we conduct nearly all our research online. We research in different places, be that search engines, social media, or review sites. And we carry out purchases in lots of different places too. Fundamentally, the internet landscape has changed. But have traditional websites been left behind, or do they still have a place in 2021 and beyond?
We’re firm believers that websites still have a place in our connected world. Of course, we are somewhat biased because we help people host their websites! But, we’ve been in the game a while and what’s more, over 90% of our new customer acquisition comes through our website. Let’s take a look at why having a website in 2021 is so important.
Credibility
Undoubtedly, one of the top reasons for having a website is building and retaining credibility. It gives you the ability to promote your products and services in a setting that is of your design, in your brand.
Having a website has additional benefits for credibility too. Including your web address on your social media profiles, business cards, or any other marketing material really goes a long way to prove you’re serious about what you do. It allows people to go check out your credentials and you never know, it could end in a new customer!
Customisation
Free from the rigidity of a social media platform, or a website builder, your website can really look and operate however you want. Of course, you might need some help from a web designer to create a more advanced experience, but the simple ability to control how a page looks and how it reacts helps create a unique and memorable experience.
If you use a popular CMS like WordPress, you can add different features to your website with the click of a button. This could include forms that integrate with your email software, or a chatbot to greet visitors. And if you’re looking to refresh how your website looks, you can roll out a brand new theme with ease.
Expandability
Your website could start small, but the possibilities are endless. As you grow and depending on what you launch with, you could look to add a blog, a portfolio, or maybe even an eCommerce store. You could even launch your own product and have users log in to use it.
If your website gets popular and you have lots of people arriving and browsing, you can upgrade the technology in the background, such as increasing bandwidth, or even upgrading from shared web hosting to a virtual private server. All of this goes towards creating a smooth, user-friendly experience for your visitors.
It’s never been easier to launch your own website online. With the multitude of tools, free tutorials, and resources available, you can plan out, design and publish a basic website for practically free. Of course, there are costs involved with hosting the website, but it’s incredibly good value for money.
Are you working on a website project? Join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.
(Featured image by Aryan Dhiman on Unsplash)
