"Why Do I Need A Website? I'm doing well in social media" is the answer I get when people use only social media to promote and make sales for their business. There's a lot to cover but I get to show you a peek of what the importance of a website. There are several, but I'll stick to what is most important. I broke the website article in 3 part series to explain the depth of how having a website can actually be easy to manage and a great way to interact and engage with your clients.

You have a good idea or product that will solve a problem for your customers and you’d like to share it on the internet. You also have followers on social media and you’d like to attract more clients, but do you don’t have a website. Maybe you already sell online through Instagram but you would like to generate more sales. Starting your business on social media is a great start! But what if the social media platform goes down? How will you be able to make sales or have your social presence be seen? A website is not only a page on the internet, but is a tool to be used to generate sales, trust, and place for customers to get to know you better.

So, what is a website exactly?

A website is a tool that gives you real estate on the internet.

It’s having the land and your home built on that land. Along with it there is an address where people can find your location. Let me give you an example to understand what I mean by real estate. The land is the internet, the website is your house, and your home address is your website address for people to find you.

You can showcase your product/service by educating your audience and demonstrate social proof of your business. Establishing your presence online gives businesses credibility in a positive manner.

What does a website do?

A website can pretty much be anything you want it to be. You can be as creative as you want by demonstrating your digital skills, share a blog of your favorite recipes, or sell online. A website establishes who you are and communicates your brand to the whole world! Google is a widely used search engine and when you create a website you gain social proof.

Websites can have multiple pages or one single page. Be strategic when it comes to your images, copy, and flow of the website. Take a look around your home and see the different rooms. As you enter your home it may be a living room with sofas to make your home cozy. You have a kitchen, restroom, and bedrooms that serve a specific purpose of your needs. Same goes for a website! The home page is the living room, the kitchen is your about page, the dining room is your service/product page, and your bedroom is the contact page.

How do I establish trust through a website?

Use your website to demonstrate what problems you solve, testimonials, and social media platforms gives you credibility. Websites doesn’t need to have a lot of text or images. You have to have a balance on the placement on your website.

Let me give you another example. Floral bouquets smell nice and are beautiful when we receive them. They smell good and aesthetically pleasing to see. Each flower in your bouquet was placed in a specific place for a reason. Each flower in the bouquet provides a balance by size and color. When properly placed within, it is a beautiful centerpiece. Same goes for the website. Images and copy (copy is the words in your website) needs to be visually pleasing to establish trust in the potential customer. If you want your customers to spend money on your product/service they need to trust you before they pay you.

You want to make it easy for your customers to navigate your website or else they will get frustrated; they may take their business elsewhere to someone. Don’t solely rely on social media to sell your business. Attract the clients you want. Stand out as a credible expert!