I’ve heard many people say that they don’t believe it’s necessary to have a website. At least in the early stages. Instead, they think focusing on social media, referrals, networking, and even traditional marketing will suffice.
But what if I told you that thinking this way was a huge mistake? Here is the honest truth:
No website = No business growth
While it may seem possible to grow your business without a website, you’re actually doing nothing but holding yourself back.
It’s true that there are plenty of options out there regarding marketing: you CAN successfully market your pet business using social media and grow an email list.
It totally works.
But, here’s the thing. You don’t own your social media accounts. They can disappear at any moment. Facebook can delete your account. They change their algorithm all the time, which can significantly impact your reach. While you can take charge of your email list, you need a firm foundation on the internet to promote it.
And that’s where your website comes in. There are dozens of reasons why you should invest in a website, but I’m going to over over the top 8 below.
1. You can use your website to create a call-to-action.
A call-to-action (CTA) is asking your audience to do something. You can include things like form submissions to grow your lead generation.
2. You look more professional and establish more authority.
If you invest time and money in a website that looks clean and cohesive, people will notice. Also, if you have good copy on your website that explains why you are a solution to their problem, they are much more likely to buy from you.
Plus, people want to know the owner behind the business. You can use a website to share the history of your business and tell readers a little more about you and why you’re the solution to their problem.
3. You can add booking features to your website which will save you a ton of time!
What do I mean by booking features? These are softwares that you can integrate into your website. You can use them to book appointments and get web visitors to sign up for your email list. Not only is this professional, but it saves you TONS of time and allows room to open up for even more customers.
Want to learn how to make this happen so your website is onboarding dream clients while you sleep?? Watch our free masterclass and have your business working for you in no time!
4. You can market your business using a blog and boosting your SEO.
Having your website is a personal space on the internet for you to house your content. When you create a website, you can blog, which is another way for you to establish yourself as an authority figure in your niche. Over time, the content on your website will help you show up on Google and other search engines.
5. You can display client testimonials and reviews.
Do you want potential customers to see customers rave about you? You can display your best client testimonials on your website for everyone to see!
This is a great way to show that your products or services work. You are also validated as a legitimate and respected business. Consumers are much more likely to trust reviews from their peers, rather than advertising.
6. If your customer base is millennials, (which they most likely are or WILL be) they are searching for your business online.
Everyone's searching online. Most dog owners are millennials, and they check websites first.
If you aren’t aware of millennial consumer behavior, you really should be. There are certain characteristics and marketing tactics you should be aware of that work better when marketing to millennials. Here is a list of millennial-related statistics from Hubspot that shares very valuable insight into marketing to millennials. For example, they are interested in receiving valuable information first. Inbound marketing resonates best with them and this includes blog posts, email newsletters, video content, and e-books.
If you’re interested in providing any of that content, you HAVE to start by getting a website.
You can actually lose business by not having a website. If nobody can find more information about your business, they can’t buy from you! Most consumers expect a business to have a website, so that they can easily research more about it and contact the business.
A study from the American Marketing Association finds that even though 25% of consumers look for a brand on social media, more than 50% search for a website first.
7. You don't own your social media followers, but you can own your email list.
Statistically speaking, your customers are much more likely to buy from you via an email list than social media advertising. This is great news considering you don’t own your social media followers. They can be taken from you in an instant, whether its through the deletion of your account or a change in Facebook or Instagram’s algorithm. So, it’s time to start building that email list (hint: you should have a website for this).
8. Websites are extremely affordable to invest in.
Have you researched the pricing of websites? They are generally very affordable! There’s nothing wrong with using a third-party platform to do this. In fact, I actually highly recommend it because it’s so much simpler to go in and edit/update it yourself. Wix offers a variety of payment plans, with the lowest cost at $5 per month. It’s extremely user-friendly, which allows you to easily make changes to your website whenever you need to.
There you have it! I could, of course, bombard you with dozens of more reasons why you should have a website for your business, but I’m sure you get the gist. With a little investment, you can have an online space to grow your business and unleash your pet biz profits. With a website, you’ll be able to grow your business much quicker (and while you sleep)!
If you're ready for a top-notch branding and web design makeover, head here to learn more about our Wix design package.
Or, looking for an option to do it yourself instead? Get your hands on the website templates that will include ALL the step-by-steps on how to get this set up (I’m talkin'… onboarding strategy, copywriting, SEO, website strategy, etc.) by heading to The Pet Marketing Unleashed Shop! Here, you can customize your own strategically designed Wix website template for pet sitters and dog walkers, dog trainers, and pet photographers. It also includes the Seamless Onboarding System so your website can work for you to onboard those dreamy clients WITHOUT adding to your schedule! Learn more here.
