Why should you consider having your own website?

Increased control over your online presence

When your clients are on your website, you have more control over what they see. While a platform like Facebook, LinkedIn or Teachable gives you some tools for this (paid), it doesn’t compare to the control you have on your own website. 

You can design it the way you like, and you can optimize it in such a way that when potential clients are searching for your services, they can find you. A good SEO strategy can be the lifeblood of a small business, and having a website that you can optimize is key to this.

Another advantage of having your business reside on your own website is that it gives the impression that you are more professional and established. Having a website is seen by many as the mark of a business that is in it for the long haul and is not just testing the waters.

Having your own website means that you are no longer at the mercy of a platform. Algorithm changes that crush some businesses, and are a boon to others, are a thing of the past. You are in control of how your business is seen by potential clients.

Customization options for branding and design

Being dependent on another platform means you are restricted to what that platform in particular has to offer in terms of design. This could be an issue if you want to design your site according to your own unique style. 

It can also be an issue if you’ve already purchased branding as a business, want to coordinate your website to such branding, or want to stand out from your competition. Having your own site means you have the ability to design it exactly as you want using any software and in any coding language. If you’re proficient in design and want a unique custom site, you can pretty much do whatever you want given time and learning. 

If you’re not proficient in design, there are still many ways to achieve what you want. You could use a content management system such as WordPress with an off the shelf theme and customize it using a theme editor or you could use various online website building tools like Elementor. 

You could also hire me 😊 to design a site for you according to your specifications. 

The amount of options available would allow you to design a site that best represents the specific image you have in mind for your business. Using a platform, it might not be possible to achieve your exact specifications, especially on a low cost and without using branded templates similar to other businesses.

Another issue when it comes to design is the long term. You may be happy with a platform’s offerings now but it’s possible that in the future, you may want to do a complete overhaul of your site. By this time you may have a well-established business. Changing to a site of your own means you can do anything you want and your site visitors won’t experience broken links from old platform URLs. Changing to a new platform means you are required to build a completely new site and service, often experiencing a major disturbance to your current business.

Improved credibility and professionalism

Having your own website increases your credibility and level of professionalism. Let’s face it. How are you likely to perceive an individual who tells you that they run a small coaching business or provide a service such as consultancy? Your first impression is probably that this person is conducting their business “on the side” and isn’t entirely committed to it. 

This may well be the case, however, in setting up a website to promote their services or business, they immediately become more professional in the eyes of potential clients. They are advertising their wares for all to see and are stating that this is very much a full-time venture for them. And whom are you more likely to do business with? Someone who appears to be working at it half-heartedly or someone who is clearly promoting and taking pride in their work? It’s a no-brainer. 

The simple fact that they have invested time and money into creating a website gives the impression that they are serious about what they do. It’s an investment in the present and for the future, as the website will provide them with an increase in business during the course of its existence. Whether their business is a success or not, an entrepreneur who has their own website will never regret taking the step to enhance their professionalism.

Enhanced customer engagement and communication

Interactive features such as videos, event polls, forums, and comments are a good way to captivate visitors. These engage visitors and make them feel more connected to your brand and business. Videos are particularly effective and can do a great job of explaining your product quickly and convincingly. This can result in higher sales, given it is done right!

A blog is a great way to engage with your customers. For small business owners, they help to build a loyal constituency. When people subscribe to your blog, they are, in essence, giving you permission to communicate with them. This can be a powerful thing and can build strong customer loyalty.

Customers visiting your WordPress website are more likely to take the desired action, i.e. contact you or purchase something. This is because they are exposed to your brand in a pleasant environment with no distractions. Your website should reflect your business and allow you to build a brand image you want to convey to the public. It provides a base for your marketing because of the constant changes that can be made to it and acts as a sort of free public relations tool as you can direct customers to your website via the search engines. 

Visitors to your website from search engines are more likely to become customers than visitors from advertising. This is because the person has searched for what you are offering and has found your website. These are the type of customers you want, you just need to provide them a product or service which is close to what you would like to sell.

Long-term cost savings and scalability

This use of a platform vs. hiring someone to build your site is nearly identical to using an apartment rental service and saving up to buy your own home. The apartment always has additional costs and changes that make it difficult to save your money and move forward. 

Now the timing to hire someone might not be the best decision for everyone and depends on the future of your business. But using a designer to plan for the future and build a site that can evolve with your business will provide future cost savings and allow your business to continue to grow its web presence and gain new customers.

On the other hand, a custom website may cost you more money upfront, but it is a one-time purchase. A designer will work with you to create a site within your budget and may even allow you to add on external features later when you have more money. The designer will create a site for you that is easy to edit and maintain and free of additional costs. 

Because it’s your own site, there isn’t a size or data capacity limit. You can continue to scale your site to become your user’s ultimate destination in learning about your service. Any future visual or organizational changes can be done at the same cost and it will keep your site looking consistent, not having to pay more to re-implement the same thing. You never have to worry or plan for the costs to move your site or build a new one.

Another reason for having a personal website is experiencing the long-term cost savings and the ability to scale. Finally, should you decide to leave the platform, you cannot bring your site with you. You essentially start with nothing and are forced to start new or remain paying costs to keep your old site running.