Websites can serve a wide number of purposes—establishing trust, generating leads, selling products, and more. A website can do a lot for your business, but in 2021, with so many platforms and social media options available, you might be asking: Do I really need a website?
It might seem odd coming from a web developer, but the answer may be no. There have never been more options, platforms, or outlets to accomplish what a website can do—and many of them are free.
Example: A local auto mechanic who didn’t need a website (yet)
A local auto mechanic contacted us about building a website. After a consultation and a realistic look at his budget and needs, we recommended he not spend his money on a website right away.
What he needed most was for people to find his business online, see his services, and read honest reviews. We suggested he invest about a third of his website budget so we could set up and optimize a Google My Business listing. (The platform itself is free, but since tech wasn’t his strength, it made sense to have professionals handle it using best practices.)
That was over three years ago, and he still reaches out regularly to tell us how much it helped. His business continues to grow, and while we occasionally discuss building a website someday, his current platform is doing just fine for him.
Social media changed the game
Social media has transformed how people spend time online. It’s not just about getting people on the internet—it’s about giving them a place to go once they’re there. How many of you check social media weekly, daily, or hourly?
No matter how you feel about social media, it’s undeniable that it created a strong desire to be online—if for no other reason than because that’s where everyone else is. And if you’re marketing your products or services, you need to be where people are.
So the question becomes: if people are already on social media, and I need to market to them, do I really need a website? Couldn’t I just have a social media presence?
Absolutely. Social media channels are powerful, and businesses that focus on one or two platforms can see real success.
Example: An artist who needed a payment system, not a website
An artist friend contacted us about building an ecommerce shopping cart website to sell her work. After discussing how she promoted her art, it became clear that nearly all interest came from one social platform.
Again, we recommended she not invest in a full website at that time. What she really needed was a simple sales mechanism. We helped her set up Stripe and trained her to create a product URL that she could share via a link in her posts—or even through text messages. That link collected payment and automatically sent the buyer a receipt.
A year later, sales were up and she was doing great. We’re now talking about a website—not as a shopping cart, but as a place where interested buyers can learn more about her and find answers to frequently asked questions.
So… do you really need a website?
Not necessarily. But you do need a person or a team who can assess your situation and recommend the right solution. In our opinion, digital marketing agencies that push websites as the only answer should be avoided.
When a website is the best solution
It’s only fair to share an example of when a website makes sense. We received an inquiry from a budding crypto consultant (yes, that’s a thing). They needed a site that could educate potential clients and generate leads to convert into customers.
Cryptocurrency is a competitive space, so it was clear they needed a strong search strategy along with ad buys and content marketing. That is a perfect use case for a website that acts as a hub for those efforts.
A few months later, their blog section was on fire—educating readers, establishing trust, and supporting their consulting business. With social media directing people to the website, traffic continued to grow.
Next steps
If you’re asking, It’s 2021—do I really need a website?
congratulations. You’ve taken a key first step toward improving your online presence and growing your business.
Keep asking questions—and if you want honest answers (even if they’re not what you expected), contact Jus B Media.