Read our blogs on our website! Where is everyone? They\'re all online. Whether it\'s looking up new places to eat, travel, or to get an emergency taken care of, people no longer require word of mouth. They whip out their phones or open up their laptops and do a quick search to get what they need. When people go online, they have questions, and you need to have the answers. How do you fulfill a need for potential prospects if they don\'t know you exist? 97% of people go online to find local businesses. It\'s an unspoken rule that every business should have a website, no matter how small. There are arguments to be made about the cost of a domain and lack of tech knowledge, but that can be solved when you take on a digital marketing team. These experts can even advise what to put on your website and how to use social media. Now, you might be thinking, why have a website when social media is free? It\'s true, Facebook and Instagram are accessible platforms for anyone to use for a variety of reasons. However, you\'re playing by their rules. Taking care of a social media account is like having a plant that continually needs watering, and you might not even get much back in return. We discuss the differences between a website and social media in another post here. Your business may be doing well without a website, so you think you may not need one. But think again that you don\'t have to worry about operating hours by having your website. A website is 24/7 every day, all day, continually giving your brand a voice and a face. 40% of SMB don\'t have websites and those are businesses that will be left behind. A website is afoot in the door to compete with larger businesses and a great way for you to display what you offer without being confined to the shared space of a free platform. When customers search for services online, they\'re already looking to buy; you have to show them that it\'s you they want to buy from. There are the kinds of businesses that would benefit from having a website: Small Local Business The new normal has everyone supporting local, looking for local shops to cater to their needs, or new places nearby. 46% of all Google searches are looking for local information. A website is a new storefront for small business owners to sell their products all at the customer\'s convenience. Medical Professionals People in the medical field usually don\'t have problems finding patients, but since word-of-mouth will only get you so far, a website can help locals find them more accessible. Utilizing photos and testimonials about services can help the potential patient feel safer in your hands. Hotels It may seem obvious, but hotels need a website. Travelers will most likely do their research before heading to destinations unknown. It\'s this reason why having a website for your hotel is crucial. Your potential guests can look, compare, and best of all, imagine themselves in the luxurious accommodations you have waiting for them. Restaurants There\'s only so much a well-lit food photo from someone\'s social media will tell you about a restaurant. People want to see what\'s on the menu, the price range, and if the food goes with their particular diet or not. Restaurants can take advantage of their websites by utilizing them to recreate the feel and atmosphere of what it\'s like to be in their space. Landscaper/Manufacturers Yes, your work can be seen by anyone, but who will take the time to find you when it\'s so much easier to type \'local landscaper\' and go with that option? Typically, in this work line, word-of-mouth goes a long way, but you\'re losing out on so much more when you can have eyes ready to book you as soon as they see you can fulfill a need. You don\'t have to wait for in-between jobs anymore. Artists You can\'t always rely on gallery shows to get your work sold. The gallery takes a commission and if you don\'t have other shows lined up, this means that making ends meet may be difficult. However, by having a website completely suited to your taste and advertising your unique pieces, you can keep selling work without having to wait for in-between shows. There may also be opportunities to work with people who love your style or request commissioned pieces. Why? A website is an answer to a customer\'s problems. What you offer and how you present that answer should be clear to convert a visitor into a buyer. Beamlocal states that by having a website for your business, you get a better return on investment than other advertising forms. Your website should be on the same level as the kind of services you offer. The best. It doesn\'t take much today to create your website by yourself, thanks to Wix and WordPress. However, if you want to get it right, go with a digital marketing agency that not only makes you a great-looking website but one that\'s clear and delivers the message you\'re trying to send. A website and all that comes along with it, like SEO optimization and maintenance, are worthy business investments that increase revenue and put you on the map. Google Map. Read our blogs on our website! About the author:

Christina is a reader, art enthusiast, and dedicated to bringing ideas to life with heart and ingenuity through words. Thanks to more than one coffee, she can pluck words out of thin air and sew them into a magical content carpet.