Social media is all that you hear about these days. Everyone’s focused on their number of followers, likes, retweets, stories, and shares. It’s the new kid on the block everyone wants to talk about, the glamorous cousin to other digital marketing avenues.

Therefore, it’s quite normal to wonder who needs a website now. After all, if you can build a large enough following on social media, that’s all you need to showcase your products and services, right?

Not so fast! The importance of having a website has only grown because of the clutter and noise of social media. In fact, you need a website not despite having a social media presence, but because of social media. ‘Are websites still relevant in the age of social media’ is the wrong question. The right question is ‘why have social media if you don’t have a website?’ Here are 6 compelling reasons why websites are, and will continue to be, relevant for businesses and brands of all sizes.

6 Reasons Why You Still Need a Website

1. Your digital headquarters

Your website is the central hub of all your digital activities. Everything else is connected to your site and flows from there. If a prospective client, customer, employee, business partner, or a regulatory authority wants to know about you, this is where they will come first. 

As your primary business listing on the internet, your site will have all the necessary information, from your company history to your products, policies, training and awards,  and details of your management team. Websites make businesses seem relatable, credible, transparent, and therefore, trustworthy.

2. You are the owner

This isn’t an app owned by someone else. You own the website and have control over the content. You also own the traffic and can craft user journeys according to your business goals. Unlike on social media, a website visitor is focusing all of their attention on you when they’re on your website. 

You are not another page or handle, playing by someone else’s rules that could change at any moment. The viewer is there because they are interested in you. And since they are there, you own their attention. 

3. Search engines like websites

A website is the easiest way for search engines to find you. They don’t search deep within social media accounts, so most of your effort there won’t matter in rankings. When someone searches for you online, an optimized website is the most effective way to get them to you. 

And remember, customers and clients may not be searching for you per se. They may be searching for a solution to their problems by using keywords and phrases. Social media posts won’t come up in search engines for those phrases – but if you’ve optimized the content on your website, your website will pop up!

4. It’s your business hub

A website isn’t a mere display case for your products and services. It’s a complete digital store where your customers can see your products, learn more about them, see videos on how to use them, and then buy it for themselves. And it runs 24/7. Whether you are a service-based business (such as selling nutrition counseling services), or product based business (such as selling digital or physical products), a website is essential.

The traffic that search engines divert to your site becomes an organic growth driver for your business. Depending on how much time people spend on your site, and the eventual conversion rate, you will get a wealth of data on how to optimize your site too (such as improving the layout and content of pages or adding new content such as blog posts). Through a data-driven iterative process, you can use it to drive business and revenue.

5. It’s an extension of your brand

A social media app can be a little monotonous – while you do have creative control over the style and content of your posts, you’re still just another “unit” within that broader platform. The design, the flow, and the user experience are designed by the platform, and it can be tough to stand out and truly make it your own. When a user is on a social media app, they are essentially experiencing the platform, and not its units (you!).

A website, on the other hand, gives you complete autonomy. You get to choose the colors, the typeface, the shape and size of its various components, and the user experience. You can customize it, and align it with your brand identity and make it unique, and memorable.

6. It’s non-transient

A big aspect of social media is a focus on what’s trending and what’s topical at any moment. A website is your high-level narrative about who you are and what you offer. Social media is for what’s new. A website is for what’s permanent.

In Summary: Social Media Should Drive Traffic to Your Website, Not Replace It

Marketing your business can be confusing and overwhelming – where to focus your energy, how much content to create, and how to measure its impact on your business goals. Social media is a vital part of the marketing process for any business, but it isn’t a replacement for other marketing tactics, like having a website. Think of your website as your “message,” and social media as a way to amplify your message and ensure more people hear it. 

If you’re looking for a caring, knowledgeable team to ensure your website captures your message and helps grow your business, send us a note or schedule a free discovery call so we can talk through your business and vision!