In this podcast episode, we take a look at why your business website is your most important marketing asset.
In today's marketing world, your website is the foundation of your entire marketing strategy (both online & offline). This is the first thing you should focus on getting right when starting a business or revamping your current marketing approach.
Here's why.
A Website Is The Modern Day Business Storefront
- Even if your business has a physical location, chances are the majority of your customers will look you up online before considering a visit. And whether or not they like what they see is what will determine if they ever walk through your doors or make contact with your company.
- People will Google you and view your site first before determining whether to keep learning more about you. In today's digital world, the first impression people have of your company's online presence is critical. If your website fails this test, there is little chance of recovering and eventually being able to convert that visitor into a new customer.
- Authority/Expertise/Credibility - A website is what allows you to quickly establish that your business is a reliable and trustworthy establishment. Once visitors are assured of this, then they are much more likely to engage with your brand online and discover more before making contact.
A Website is the Foundation of a Company's Entire Online Marketing Strategy
- Before branching out to other online marketing tactics and channels, you need to get your website right.
- All online marketing activities (Organic Social Media, SEO/SEM, Paid Traffic, Email, etc.) should revolve around and drive traffic back to your website. However, if your website doesn't feature great design with engaging copy and an easy-to-navigate interface, it doesn't matter how much traffic you can generate - no one will convert.
- This is why the first order of business for a company just starting out or looking to revamp their digital marketing strategy must start with their website. It truly is the foundation of a modern marketing strategy. And if your whole strategy is built on a shaky foundation (a bad or outdated website) then you're not going to find sustainable success.
A Company's Website Is One of Few Owned Digital Marketing Assets
- For most company's, their website is the only true digital marketing asset they actually own. Every other channel - social media, SEO, Paid Traffic, etc. - is on other company's platforms and you are merely "renting the space". And since you don't own it, the rules can change at any time and there would be nothing you can do about it. This is a big liability (although it may not seem like it at the moment) and you must be continually updating and creating new content on your website to hedge against this risk.
- You can use your website to host content (blogs, podcasts, videos, lead magnets, etc.) that will allow your visitors to consume your content in an undistracted environment. The longer people engage with your content, the more likely they are to trust your brand and become a paying customer later on.
- A website is also your best way to build up your email marketing list - another owned digital marketing asset. This will give your business the ability to directly reach out to people that have expressed interest in your company's products/services - without the need to be reliant on Google or Facebook's algorithm to ensure your message gets seen.
