Video Transcription
When people ask me, “What’s the most important thing I should do to market my business,” my #1 answer is always, “get a great website.”
You might be thinking, “But Tom, you run a website design company. Of course, you’re going to say that.”
But the truth is: your website is the center of your marketing. It’s absolutely the most important thing you need to get right.
To find out why, keep watching.
Hi, I'm Tom Malesic, founder and President of EZMarketing, and you're watching Ask EZ. This is where small business owners go to get real answers to their marketing questions.
Why is your website the center of your marketing?
Think of your marketing as the hub and spokes of a wheel. Your website is the central hub because all your other marketing should drive people back to your website.
For example, if someone clicks on an ad you’re running on Google, they expect to be taken to your website to learn more. Same goes for a link in an email or social media.
And you can’t do Search Engine Optimization if you don’t have a website to optimize.
Even postcards and print ads have your web address.
Nearly every customer is going to visit your website at some point during the buying process, and all your other marketing relies on your website.
If your website isn’t at the center of your marketing, there’s nothing to hold the rest together, and your whole marketing strategy is going to fall apart.
What’s more, if your website is bad, you’re going to end up wasting money on all your other marketing, because you’re driving people back to a website that isn’t effective.
We have customers who come to us all the time and want to do SEO or run Google ads, but if they don’t have a good website, it’s almost impossible for us to get good results.
Why not Facebook?
You might be thinking: “Why can’t I just use Facebook?” You may think social media is just as good as a website, but here are some big problems:
- You don’t own it. Platforms like Facebook change the rules all the time, and there’s not much you can do. What if they triple the cost to advertise overnight? Or kick you off entirely? A website gives you complete control over the look, feel, and function of your online presence, vs. being subject to the whims of a 3rd party.
- It’s not as credible. Getting your business on Facebook is easy and free. But the low barrier to entry is a double-edged sword. Since anyone can set up a social media page, customers are wary of scams or businesses that aren’t willing to invest in a professional website.
- It has SEO limitations. Sure, lots of people search for businesses on social media. But the majority use Google, and if you don’t have a website, you’re not going to rank well on Google, especially when it comes to local searches.
One other quick note: if you sell online, you might be tempted to use an Etsy or Amazon store instead of your own website. You’ll run into similar problems:
- You don’t own it, so you’re stuck with the rules and fees they set.
- It’s hard to stand out because everyone’s storefront looks the same
- And you’re not going to show up in searches outside the platform.
Bottom line: I’m not saying that social media or Etsy stores are bad. You should keep using them. But they’re NOT a substitute for a professional website.
It's time to invest in your website
Your website is the center of your marketing because all your other marketing relies on it. It’s your best tool for establishing credibility and getting found online, and it’s where every single one of your customers should be going to learn more about your business.
The best thing you can do for your business this year is to make sure you’ve got an effective website.
We’ve helped hundreds of small businesses turn their websites into their best salesperson. We’d love to help you too.
Schedule a consultation with us, and I’ll do a free website walkthrough with you to give you some feedback and suggestions.
Just click the link below to get started.
