A Facebook page doesn't cut it: the importance of a website for local businesses

When I work with clients, many of them are mostly serving local clients, so even though they are finding their clients online, they are actually serving them within a local area, be that a town, a county, state, something beyond just the global online.

And what I have noticed, not only with my clients but just with businesses in general, is that so many of them do not have websites at all, or do not have websites that are up to date and really attract their ideal clients, probably because they are relying on word of mouth referrals and Google searches. But a website can be a huge boost to your business and it really helps people to trust you and make that investment, especially as your business is growing, it's getting bigger. And I wanna go over a little bit of that today.

Every business, even a local one, needs a website

[00:01:26] So the first thing I want you to know, if you are any business online or local, you need to have an online presence. We talk about this in regards to online businesses needing a home outside of social media, but a local business needs a home online outside of just their storefront or the Google listing that they have.

[00:01:53] This is beneficial for every business because every business wants somewhere that people can learn more about them and their services that they actually have control. You don't have control over the social media algorithms. You don't have control over search engine results. What you do have control over is your website, the way that it looks, the way that it makes your clients feel, the experience that they get going through that site, and all of that needs to be your main online storefront for your business.

Your website helps you show up in search engine results

[00:02:32] Second, SEO is crucial for every business. I've talked to so many business owners who have been growing their business for years, and they will all tell you that while they get engagement on social media, their main inquiries come from SEO, somebody finding them on Google or another search engine, and then reaching out to work with them. Because people who are actively searching for your type of business, especially if you offer a local service, are so much more ready to buy than somebody who just stumbles across you on social media or sees you on TikTok.

[00:03:20] If somebody is looking for a local plumber, It's probably because they need something done right now. If somebody's looking for a local boutique, it's probably because they are shopping for a gift that they need to purchase pretty soon.

[00:03:39] I do this all the time with my son. We are always looking for new adventures, so we're going to parks and museums and different places for him to enjoy and play. Usually my journey goes that I will find out about a place on social media, maybe somebody suggests it in a Facebook post or somebody else shares that they took their kids there. But I don't know enough about that place at that moment to go until I have also gone online and I've searched for them. So I will look on Facebook and see if they have a page there that gives me a little bit of information.

[00:04:22] But what I'm really looking for is a website. I want a website that's going to tell me some very clear information about your business. I wanna see images of the place that we're gonna go so that I can make sure it's a good fit for his age. I wanna know about pricing. I wanna know about ours. I wanna know about rules and requirements. Is it somewhere that we can we pay and we go in, and then once we leave, we're done? Or do we get that ticket available for all day?

[00:04:55] Those are the things that a website is going to be able to tell me that you're not gonna be able to communicate very well on a Facebook page or a social media post because you're very limited to what you can share and how long people are going to be able to see it. So I want to encourage you, no matter what business you have, your website is going to be the home for all of that information.

People who find your website through Google are more likely to buy

[00:05:21] And then when people are searching online for something like your business, when they are ready to buy, because they are actively typing in the service that you offer. It's a great way to get them to find you specifically, and if you can land on the top of a search engine result list, and then you have a really great website that makes you look trustworthy, it makes you look like you have been doing this for a long time, that you are a professional, that they can trust that you are gonna show up and do what you said, they are so much more likely to buy from you than somebody who either doesn't have an online presence that maybe they couldn't find anything about.

[00:06:09] If your website is really out of date and it's not loading on mobile, they're more likely to think, Hmm, I'm not sure if they're gonna be the best people for this job because the website isn't professional and maybe they offering their service aren't professional either.

How your website can build trust and bring in clients

[00:06:27] When I say as a local business, I want you to stand out what I really mean is I want you to have a website that is up to date with the overall trends. It doesn't have to be super trendy and flashy and fancy, but what it does need to do is have are really clean, clear images. It needs to be laid out in a way that is user-friendly, it makes it easy for people to book with you or contact you to book whatever your process is.

[00:07:05] I also want it to be mobile friendly. This is so important, especially for a local business. Because already most people are looking at websites on their phone, but that's even more true if you're a local business. Probably 97% of people who are looking for you are going to be doing it on their phone. Either because some kind of emergency situation has come up and they need somebody right now. Maybe they're out on the go and they passed your storefront and they wanna learn more about it. Or they're like me and they have a toddler that they want to entertain, and so they are sitting at the park Googling on their phone where they can take them next.

[00:07:49] So it's really important that your website be mobile friendly, that it be up to date with images that are very clear, that it have copy that is easy to read, that it just looks and feels modern, so that when people come there, they don't automatically assume that you built this in the early two thousands, your business might not even exist anymore, and they just go and look for somebody else.

A Facebook page or referrals aren’t going to help you grow

[00:08:25] A Facebook page is not going to cut it. A phone number for people to share on those mom Facebook groups is not gonna cut it. People want to see your website so that they know they can trust you. They are making an investment big or small in your business. And they want to make sure that you are trustworthy, that you're gonna deliver what you say.

[00:08:53] And while a website can't completely prove that, it does lend to that credibility, it shows that you are a professional business, that you take this seriously.

[00:09:04] Just the other day, I was looking for a massage therapist in my area, and I had seen a sign with somebody who offered massage therapy. I was interested, so I went to their website, their website's down. I tried to email them, their emails down, and all I'm thinking is, well, maybe their business closed. Maybe they are not working anymore. The sign is still up, but maybe they aren't offering services anymore.

[00:09:39] And this is an example of whether that business is closed or not, if they were to have a website that was really easy to navigate that was working, that I could see what they do, who they are, what their facilities look like, I am much more likely to trust them and go get a massage from them.

[00:10:02] And while that might not be thousands of dollars worth of an investment, they could get a client who's going to invest for the first time and is going to continue to come back, who would refer them to other people and have a website to show them, to refer them to.

Your website is your online storefront

[00:10:21] So I just want you to keep this in mind as a local business or as an online business. Your website is your storefront in the online space, and it is so important that it looks and feels professional, that it reflects you and your business, that it's easy for people to find and navigate.

[00:10:43] And we've talked a lot about all of those topics on this podcast, but I don't want you to ignore those things just because you think, 'Well, I get plenty of people through word of mouth. I get plenty of referrals from that mom Facebook group when people are asking for something.' Because you could be doing more, you could be growing faster, and you wouldn't have to rely on referrals for people who are just looking for the lowest price or looking for something that they can do right now and we'll haggle with you about the price and complain about everything that you do.

[00:11:26] When you have an online home, you are really standing out as a professional, especially in a world where a lot of small, local businesses don't have a great looking website yet, and you are able to say, confidently, yes, these are my prices, this is what it looks like. And you're going to attract people who are ready to say, 'Yes, I need you right now and I am willing to pay what you charge. I am willing to just trust you with this thing', and that is going to help you grow so much faster.

[00:12:06] And it's going to be more peaceful for you too, because you know that people trust you. You know that when they're coming to your website or they're searching for you on Google, they're getting something that's a true reflection of the quality of work that you provide.

Make sure your website is set up for success

[00:12:22] If you're a local business and you have a website but you are not sure if it's working really well, please submit it for a website review at lemonandthesea.com/review. I am happy to do a 15 minute video review of it for you.

[00:12:41] If you don't have an existing website, make sure that you get one whether you build something yourself just to get by or you invest with a designer, make sure you get online now. Start building that search engine result ranking. Start building that trust with your community so that as you grow, you can then improve it even more to see your business thrive.