Do You Need A Website?
Some online entrepreneurs will tell you that you don’t need a website and in a way this is true. Dependant on the services you are offering and the clients you want to attract.
Some businesses only run on Facebook or Instagram or even on YouTube, and some are brick-and-mortar and prefer the word of mouth. But how do you want people to get to know you and the services offered?
When I am bored or looking for something, I turn to the internet
Sometimes I just scroll and something catches my eye and sometimes I am specifically looking for something. I am not a newspaper or magazine reader, and I don’t watch television that has ads on it, so the only exposure I get is from the internet and what I land on when doing a search.
If you are not using this piece of real estate, you are missing out and leaving money on the table.
A website is an asset to your business and every business needs one, even if it is just a one-pager giving a brief description of what you do.
If it is the cost of a website that is holding you back, look at it as an investment. I got a website for my company for $100 which includes the hosting and domain name for 2 years. This is a very low investment, and although the idea of building your own website can be scary, it is actually very easy if you use the right Plugins.
It does not have to be perfect; it just needs to be there with your contact info. As you learn and grow you can change it up, or even hire someone to do the design for you once you have landed your first client.
A few things to keep in mind when building your own site would be:
- Keep it simple, easy to read and navigate, and remember to break up your text.
- Don’t have more than 5 pages if you start. This will be your home, about, service, contact, and blog page. You don’t need the rest when starting out.
- WordPress is the most used and definitely a very user-friendly way to go. Make sure to install the Elementor Plugin to assist with drag and drop functionality.
- On the about page, share about yourself, show that you are human, give feedback on your work background (don’t add the entire CV), and mention what you like and dislike, and what makes you happy. Remember that people work with people they can relate to.
- Give an overview of your services on the services page with details on the programs, platforms, and software you are comfortable working on. Only list your main services as you don’t want the world to think you are a jack of all trades. Rather look like an expert in a few things. In your follow-up email to the potential client, you can always elaborate on the other services you offer. And only share a starting price point as sometimes things change and the scope of projects differ. So you don’t want to tie yourself down to a set price and not be able to negotiate a better fee.
- Make sure to have a contact form on your contact page and put your email address in the footer so it appears on each page. Make it easy for people to reach you.
- Your blog is your SEO-driving tool. This is where you have the opportunity to use keywords and drive people to your website. This is a place for you to share your knowledge and provide value.
Once you have your website up and running, there are 3 things you need to do.
- Install a Facebook pixel to track and collect the details from people who visit your website. This will help with audience retargeting when running ads on Facebook.
- Make sure to set up Google Analytics to see how many visitors you get, where they are from, what browsers they use, and much more. By collecting this data, you will have a better understanding of your website performance and showcase where you should be focusing your attention. If most of your visitors are from Instagram, be more active there to increase it, or increase your visibility on Facebook if that is the area with the least traffic.
- You need to register and install a Plugin called Hotjar. This allows you to see what people do on your website. Where they click, how long they spend on each page, and what they do. It gives you an insight into what is working and what the pages or sections are that just get skipped.
To end off, do you need a website?
I personally say YES YOU DO!
Make the small investment, it will be worth it. You can reach out to us on the contact page if you would like to find out more about our website-building services.
