Google Business Profile Websites To Be Phased Out
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In today’s digital era, having an online presence is essential for businesses. Customers will expect you to have a website no matter what industry you operate in or what size your business is. If you want to meet demand and facilitate long-term commercial success, a website is a important component of a local business, and here’s why:
Almost half of all Google searches are looking for local information, meaning users rely on the internet to access information about local businesses. Furthermore, recent statistics show that 72% of consumers visited a store within five miles after conducting a local online search.
With the vast majority of people using the internet to access information about local amenities and resources, your business must have an online presence. As a website is the easiest and most effective way to establish an online presence for your business, creating a custom site is critical for generating face-to-face custom.
Creating a professional image is another crucial reason a website is essential for a local business. In today’s competitive market, consumers are not only looking for products or services but also evaluating the image and reputation of companies. A well-designed and easy-to-navigate website can significantly enhance your business’s credibility, present your brand as professional and reliable, and give potential customers a positive first impression.
High-quality images, compelling product descriptions, and testimonial sections can all contribute towards building a solid professional image. By ensuring your website reflects your business accurately and favourably, you can effectively leverage it to attract and retain customers.
As well as featuring information about your products and services, your website should showcase important information about your business, including your opening hours, location, and contact details. When people ask why a website is important, this is one of the most pressing reasons. Simply put, If customers can quickly find out where you’re located and when you’re open, you’re making it even easier for them to pay you a visit.
As a local business, you may have focused on face-to-face sales thus far. However, this doesn’t prevent you from embracing eCommerce. You can substantially increase your turnover by using your website to sell products and services. What’s more – you may be able to expand your operating area throughout multiple towns or counties.
Consumers are savvy, and they’ll want to ensure your business is trustworthy before engaging with you. Without a website, you have no way to convey your credibility, mainly because many consumers are likely to search for you online before visiting your premises. When you create a website for your local business, however, you can tell users your story, showcase your success, and enhance your credibility as a reliable local business.
You may not have a website, but you can be sure your competitors do, and you’re handing them an easy win if you don’t establish your business online. When consumers are looking for local products and services, they’ll be directed straight to a competitor’s website if you don’t have a site of your own. By creating your website, however, you can ensure that consumers are shown your content before your competitors by focusing on search engine optimisation (SEO). This can substantially increase your customer acquisition rate and enable you to secure a more significant market share.
Most local businesses aren’t open around the clock; you don’t need to be. Keeping your premises open 24/7 requires significant investment in terms of staffing, so it’s not something you’ll want to consider lightly. However, having a website ensures that your business can operate on a 24/7 basis without needing any extra resources. From selling products around the clock to booking appointments or services, a website ensures your business can respond to customer demand at any time.
A strong brand cements your place in the market, increases your reach, and boosts customer loyalty. To create a strong brand, however, you must ensure your branding is instantly recognisable to your target audience. A website is an effective way to reinforce your brand values and to use your visual assets to increase brand recognition. When your logo, typography, and corporate colours are displayed online, you can be confident that a greater percentage of your target audience will recognise your brand attributes in any location.
A website is a dynamic platform where you can keep your customers updated with the latest news and updates about your business. This could include announcing new product launches, upcoming sales or events, changes in business hours, or any awards or recognitions your business has received. Regularly refreshing your website with new content keeps your customers informed and helps improve your website’s ranking on search engines.
Besides, customers appreciate transparency and open communication with the businesses they patronise. You’re fostering greater trust and loyalty by sharing important updates and news. This information can be showcased via a dedicated ‘News’ or ‘Updates’ section on your website or through an integrated blog. You can also use your website to share company milestones, staff profiles or case studies, all of which can help to humanise your business and strengthen your relationship with customers.
Showcasing your work on your website is an excellent way to highlight your achievements and demonstrate your capabilities to potential customers. You can create a portfolio section on your site to display examples of past projects, accompanied by brief descriptions and client testimonials. It provides social proof to your visitors and gives them an understanding of what you can offer.
For service-oriented businesses, case studies showing the problem, solution, and results achieved can be particularly compelling. For product-based businesses, high-quality images, video demonstrations, and customer reviews can effectively illustrate the quality and benefits of your products. Remember, people believe in what they see, so include substantial evidence of your exceptional work.
While local businesses may focus their activities within a particular geographical region, this doesn’t make a website less critical. The rise of local SEO and the increasing internet use across all demographics makes it more important than ever for local businesses to have a user-friendly website.
With an easy-to-use content management system and a professionally designed site, you can keep your web pages updated with fresh content and new information. Similarly, a sure-fire SEO strategy will give you the tools to boost your online performance and establish your business within your chosen area.
Don’t hesitate to reach out, we’re always here to help and would love to hear from you!
Unearth SEO Ltd (Company Number: 12049270) | Registered Address: 18 Roneo Corner, Hornchurch, England, RM12 4TN