How often have you searched online when looking for a product or place to go? Almost every time? Now, have you ever thought to yourself, “Nah, why do I need a website, I just sell through Instagram”? Can I ask you this one question …

What if Instagram went down tomorrow? Permanently. Or Facebook. Or Twitter. Or wherever you engage with your customers and sell your products. How would you sell your products then? Not having a website because you’re selling through social media has got to be one of the riskiest and most dangerous ways to run your business, and I’ll tell you why.

You may be saying, “Pshhh, yeah sure Frankie, Instagram and Facebook aren’t going anywhere for a while”.

While that may be true, I’m sure you’ve noticed a dramatic drop in your engagement, in new followers, and in your likes. Does that sound about right? Do you know why that is? Because social media platforms while always working on improving their platform to keep their users on the platform longer, their biggest objective is to make more money, (for themselves not for you). Why do you think your engagement plummeted? So you spend more money on boosting your ads and posts so you can get back to “where you were” before the algorithm change.

With everything going digital, it’s become incredibly convenient to shop online, saving all of us a lot of time and money. I don’t even go to Target for basic essentials anymore. Why would I waste time getting dressed and driving there when I can conveniently order my shampoo, toothpaste, and hey check out that cute tee, right from the comforts of my couch AND get free shipping? And in case you were wondering, I’m not going to Instagram to buy my beauty products, I’m going straight to the source.

Now, I’m not saying social media and their CEO’s are evil. Using social media is an incredible way to share your brand. I’m just telling you, in order to grow and build a strong business, you need a website. You need a platform that YOU own. Do you really want to leave your money in the hands (and at the mercy) of the CEO’s of social media platforms and their algorithms?

In this article, I’ll be sharing the top 8 reasons why you need a website even if you’re selling through social media. And not only do you need a website, but you need a good one. A website that builds trust with your customers, that showcases your products in a way that draws your customers in, increases sales and helps you stand out against every other brand on the market.

8 REASONS WHY YOU NEED A WEBSITE:

1. YOUR CUSTOMERS EXPECT IT: In this digital era, when every other brand and business under the sun is online, you can bet your entire life savings your potential customers are going to expect you to be as well. They take you more seriously as a business and they feel stronger about trusting you and your product when you have a strong presence online. And they’ll know where they can always find your product, regardless of the social media platforms that are trending that year.

2. YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE LESS LIKELY TO BUY FROM YOU IF THEY CAN’T FIND YOU ONLINE: When potential buyers find you on social media, they search for you online to learn more about your product and if they can trust your product to satisfy their needs. If they haven’t found you on social media, how do you think they’ll find you? By searching on Google. Did you know 97% of people go online when searching for a business? And 80% of participants in a recent study said they are more likely to buy from a business if they have a website. So when customers can’t find you on Google, guess who they’re going to buy from? Not you, because they don’t know you exist, or worse, they don’t take you seriously enough.

3. SOCIAL MEDIA REACH IS DECREASING: If you’re on any social media platform then you have felt the damaging effects of algorithms. When you first began, your growth and engagement were probably skyrocketing, right? You felt amazing and like you were on your way to taking over the world in no time? And then all of a sudden, it stopped. You’re getting less and less and less followers, likes, comments, and engagement. What are you doing wrong? Nothing. You’ve just been hit by the social media algorithm. And because you’ve tasted what it feels like to have an incredibly high engagement rate (especially if that engagement and reach has resulted in a lot of sales) you’re probably hurting and considering paying for “boosting” your posts to get back to where you were. That’s how the platform makes money. Do you really want to continue paying for new customers through sponsored posts or wouldn’t you rather get more customers for free using organic search through your online website and keeping those hard-earned dollars for yourself?

4. YOU DO NOT CONTROL WHO OR HOW MANY SEE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS: You may think you own your account, but whichever platform you use, the software and app are not yours. You don’t control how it works, you don’t control the algorithm, and you definitely don’t control who and how many people see your posts, especially when the platform goes down due to technical problems. So if you want to get your product in front of more potential customers, you need a website that has no algorithm what-so-ever. When you have a website, you OWN your website and all the content that’s on it. You control what your visitors see, and if designed well, you can keep them coming back for more.

5. HAVING A WEBSITE GIVES YOU MORE CREDIBILITY: Again, building a business in a time where everyone shops online, not having a website is going to give your potential customers the impression that your “business” is really just a hobby. And to your customers, not investing in a website means you don’t take your business seriously enough. This translates into your potential customers NOT buying from you because they feel if you don’t take your business seriously, why should they? Which then leads them to assume you don’t take the quality of your product seriously either and instead, they buy from someone else who does. Let your customers know you’re serious and build yourself a website.

6. MORE MONEY IN YOUR POCKET: Paid promotions on social media platforms have continued to increase, making Facebook, Instagram, and every other platform, hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. But did you know 81% of people perform some type of online research before making a large purchase? Guess where they’re searching? That means you’re paying for boosting your social media posts when 81% of your customers are searching for you on GOOGLE. Then there’s content marketing, (like having a blog on your website about news and new products) which gets three times more leads than paid advertising according to Content Marketing Institute, 2017. Are you ready to stop giving your money away yet?

7. YOUR CUSTOMERS GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO BE INSPIRED, NOT TO BE “SOLD” TO: Yes, while I understand there are now technological capabilities to sell through social media platforms, solely using the platform to make your sales is not a smart strategy to rely on. Ask any highly successful business taking advantage of social media how often they are “selling” to their customers on the platform. The answer will be, they don’t sell on social media. Not directly. What they are selling, is a lifestyle, sharing how to use their products, how to style them, telling stories, and sharing with their followers how using their products can give them the life they desire. Your target customers want to be inspired when they’re scrolling the ‘Gram. Give them what they want most, the idea of the lifestyle they want, and then include a link on how to get it (aka your website).

8. A WEBSITE HELPS YOU COMPETE AGAINST BIG BRANDS: I know what you’re thinking, you’re just starting out, how could you possibly compete with the top brands of today. Let me tell you how. Your only limit is your imagination to what’s possible on your website. With a well-designed site, you can target your ideal customers just as well if not better than any larger brand, because a lot of times, they’re so busy being the top brand that they forget who their true audience is and get side-tracked, leaving you plenty of space to come in and compete with the big boys. If you’re offering a product no other brand has, you already have a leg up on the competition. Now all you have to do is present it to the world in a powerful and strategic way.

[BONUS] IF YOUR COMPETITORS HAVE A WEBSITE, THEN YOU DEFINITELY NEED ONE: Your competitors know the advantages of having a site, and every day you continue to believe you don’t need one, you’re leaving money on the table for your competitors to freely take.

I hope these 8 reasons about why you should have a website have proven to you why you’ll make it easier for your customers to buy from someone else if you’re not serious about your business. Consumers want to buy from brands they trust. If they can’t grow to trust you by having a well-designed website that allows them to understand what your products are all about, then how can you expect them to buy? But it’s not just about having any site thrown up online with no strategy or consideration for what matters to your audience and customers. Studies have shown you have less than 7 seconds to make a first impression on your potential customer. If you don’t impress them and show them why they should buy from you instead of your competition within those 7 seconds, you’ve lost your sale.

Get your brand in front of more customers, save money, save time, and make a lot more sales by controlling what your customers see, and how they see it, by owning your own piece of the web. Your domain. Your rules.

Are you ready to build a website that will draw your target customers in and boost your sales without having to stress over algorithms?

Here are two sites I’ve created to give you an idea of what’s possible …

Creating and building a new website for your brand does not need to take months, and doesn’t require you to spend your entire life savings for something custom. That’s why I’m here to help, love.

Excited for the possibilities of what your site could look like? Let’s chat!

LET’S CHAT!