I've read recently that nearly half of all businesses don't currently have a website. As a web designer who believes that a website is one of the best investments a company can make, I feel the need to address this topic. So, without further ado, let's have a look at the main benefits you will gain by owning your own little space on the World Wide Web:

OWNERSHIP AND SECURITY

You don't own your social media accounts. This may not seem like a big deal, but it is. We all heard about people who had their accounts closed by the platform without any explanation. Some of them managed to get them back on, but many didn't. If their business relied solely on that platform to bring in the revenue, it would have been all over for them just like that. No more sales or DM enquiries – all connections with their followers were gone in an instant. Not a pleasant thought.

On the other side, your website is your own space on the internet.

Meaning that nobody can just come and decide to close it down, limit your features, or even just disappear altogether (i.e. remember Myspace – it was a real platform, I was on it!).

Full Squarespace website design and logo re-design for Art for Youth London. To visit their events or buy art online, click on the image.

IMPRESSION OF SUCCESS

My next point, equally as important, is the impression you give your potential customers or clients when you have a website. I can't tell you how many times I've come across someone seemingly successful on Instagram whose bio link took me to their Linktree page… and that was it! I could have potentially become a customer, but I simply needed that last step to confirm that they're legit and that I can take them seriously. Plus, their website would summarise for me in one place what they're about, instead of me having to click five links to five different platforms.

Having a website will make your business look more credible and established, even if you're just starting out.

Nobody knows how long you've been doing what you do, but having a functional, decent-looking website will make your brand appear organised and successful.

A web and logo design project with Guy Allen Studio. Click on the image to buy Guy’s intricate etching prints.

CREATIVE CONTROL

Each social media platform has its own limitations when it comes to colours, fonts, and layouts. Of course, you – or your designer if you prefer – have complete creative control over all of these on a website, enabling you to stay on-brand, but it doesn't end there.

On a website, you can house all your content and important information in one place so your visitors can view it at a glance and quickly see whether you could be a good fit for what they want.

This could include your work or portfolio, blog, podcast, videos, imagery, audio, as well as strategically placed testimonials, values, location, and point of contact. Additionally, you could include a member area for your private membership, a password-protected page only viewable to those who have the password, live chat or a forum. Organising all this content and features into relevant pages and sections, you can then guide your visitors through the pages with your written text (also called copy) and CTAs (call-to-action buttons) just the way it suits you. In web design terms, this is called customer journey, and it is one of the aspects needed for a high-converting website. Taking advantage of sales pages created intentionally with the buyer in mind is another effective tactic that increases the conversion rates to a point where social media simply can't go.

When you have a website, the goal of your social media and advertising reach is to bring the audience back to your website where they can see all your work and content in one place, strategically placed. It is essentially the hub of your web presence, optimised for high conversion.

A web design project with Thelma West. Click on her image to see her high-end jewellery pieces with the customers of the likes of Rihanna.

HIGH RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI)

An argument I often hear is that getting a website is too expensive. However, this actually couldn't be further from the truth.

Acquiring a website is one of the best investments a business can make, with an exceptionally high ROI (return on investment).

Unlike the costs for the fleeting advert time, the initial set-up costs for the website are long-term. Once it is up and running, there isn't much cost involved, other than the domain hosting, website building platform (i.e. Squarespace, WordPress, Showit, etc.), and additional charges for premium features such as scheduling and member areas, or a translator widget.

Comparing this to an actual brick-and-mortar shop is poignant because a real physical space costs a lot of money. How about going the other way by comparing it to a free social media platform? This is where it gets interesting – and it ties to my previous points in this article. Not only is it more secure in the long run to not solely rely on social media, but it is also much more profitable, thanks to the great impression and high-conversion ability.

With a good website, you can have a much higher enquiry rate, leading to more sales, consequently returning that investment to you many times over.

However, that's not all. If you're part of a marketplace such as Etsy, Amazon, or Creative Market, or a freelancing platform such as Upwork, Fiverr or Toptal, you are losing the percentage they deduct from your earnings. Working with the clients directly, you can keep that money to yourself.

Another huge advantage is that you can leverage the opt-ins to help you build your email list.

Just like your website, your email list belongs to you.

These are people interested in your offers and warmed up to buy. People who allow your emails into their inboxes potentially become long-term subscribers and customers or clients.

Lastly, don't underestimate the power of Google search. You can easily drive free targeted traffic to your website with some thought and regular content such as a blog or video & podcast transcripts. This is priceless and can save you a lot of money spent on advertising or other types of marketing.

Partial Squarespace website design. If you’re in a need of a personal trainer, click on the image to see Luciano’s offers.

SUMMARY

I hope I've shined some light on how important a quality website is in today's business world. I've seen it over and over, you can run a business without it, but it just won't be anywhere as effective and profitable. It's sort of like a start-out jewellery business – it'll start as popups at markets and fairs, but only when they open an actual shop will they be truly able to grow.

So if you're ready to take the big step of getting a website for your business, you have a couple of options.

Of course, the simplest way would be to hire a web designer. A good designer will find all the relevant information about your business (i.e. target audience, website goals, etc.) and create a map for the best possible customer journey. They will intentionally place all the elements in the right places to encourage high conversion rates and make sure your website looks stunning to communicate the quality of your product or service and the overall success of your business. The investment for this option can be higher but will be well worth it in the long run.

If you genuinely can't afford to work with a designer at the moment, do it as soon as you can, or try to DYI it yourself if you have some time on your hands. This option is much cheaper but takes a lot more time and brainpower. However, nothing is impossible, and with the right attitude, guidance, and a lot of patience, you can come up with something good.

Whichever option you decide to go for, you will find that having a website will take your business to another level – it will give you more confidence and consequently increase your revenue.

If you're ready to start now, I'd be happy to help you! After trying out a number of platforms, I now design exclusively on Squarespace which is my favourite by far. It’s perfect for smaller to medium businesses and incorporates all features you may need from a website.

You can reach out to me here to get the ball rolling, and we can find out whether we're a good fit for each other.

In case you have questions regarding this blog post, please leave them in the comments below, or send me a message via the contact form.

I can't wait to hear from you!

Kat x

5 BENEFITS OF HAVING A WEBSITE – SOCIALS JUST WON'T CUT IT ANYMORE