Some business owners, visionaries, and entrepreneurs still love and cherish the idea of brick-and-mortar stores. The artist loves the gallery openings that showcase their work, the cupcake expert loves greeting their customers with the creamy fragrance of a fresh batch of cupcakes that has just emerged on the counter. In the spirit of tangible, taste bud-tantalizing, and visually immersive experiences, people still love the real world so much that many try to resist the numerous perks of the digital one. So, they naturally ask: do I really need to have a website?

And the answer is always a unanimous, harmonious YES, simply because the benefits of having and running a website far outweigh the perks of keeping your business solely a brick-and-mortar experience. Some may try to use social media only, but for the sake of building a trustworthy image and a reputation, it’s always best to wrap up your entire brand identity with a sleek, appealing website. Here are a few reasons to support this digital endeavor, no matter what your business may be.

Building a unified reputation

In the same way you are in charge of your storefront and your display design, you are in charge of the look and feel of your website. It’s the digital representation of your business, one that often provides a pivotal gateway to leaving a memorable impression. Most people today will always research any establishment online before they actually set foot in your store, studio, or whatever you might own. They will look through photos, read reviews, and they’ll be impressed by your visual design and your brand’s language.

A website is a key piece of the branding puzzle today, one that lets you, as the brand owner, control your brand’s position. By offering the most vital information on your site, including your address, contact details, and other business details, you give your customers another way to verify your business, which in turn improves their trust and confidence that your brand is legitimate and trustworthy.

Growing your customer base

Although the locals have known about the presence of your stylish fashion design store around the corner, being able to appeal to a wider demographic means that you can increase your profits over time by using your digital presentation. People today love doing their research online before they settle on the best option.

By creating a seamless digital experience, you give them a chance to get to know your brand before they set foot in your store. Add to that the undeniable impact of referrals and feedback posted on your website paired with high-quality content you regularly update, and you have a website that generates interest and serves as a way to qualify more leads more efficiently.

Gaining local advantage

As a local business, you understand that your presence in the community defines how eager people will be to come back to your store. If you use your website as yet another dimension of inspiring customers to come back with a pristine service and a beautiful experience, you can actually gain a competitive advantage even if you decide to limit your services to the local market only. Plus, when the local market in question is as developed and competitive as, say, Australia, then it pays to have a stellar website to give your local business an edge.

In addition to creating a website that is in line with your image and brand, make sure to use web hosting in Australia so that your pages can load quickly for your local audience, and so that you can have support in case anything goes awry. When you localize your business and you want a stronger presence in the local market, using the most reliable local provider for hosting is another way to help your website get the attention it deserves.

Providing value free of charge

Websites are so much more than digital epitomes of your physical brand. They are living entities that constantly evolve, and when you know how to grow your website properly, you will be able to use it as a way to attract more customers, connect with them on another meaningful level, and provide them with ongoing value beyond the service at your store. How? By regularly posting value-packed content, news about your brand, engaging pieces that inspire comments and conversations, and information about products.

This is where your customers can find answers to the most common questions without delay, as your FAQ page is a great way to boost customer experience. Offering discounts and notifying them via the site when they can get their favorite products for the fraction of the original price is another way to attract their attention. Sharing your views on relevant industry topics and letting them know how you’re improving your services all helps create a more coherent, evolving brand image through your website.

Of course, reasons to have and run a website certainly do not end with these four. As you begin to develop your website further, you’ll slowly notice how the time and creativity you invest in its growth will only help you improve your standing in the community and empower your customers to love you more than ever.

By Chakraborty

Dr Chakrabarty is the Chief Innovation Officer of IntuiComp TeraScience. Earlier she was Assistant Professor of Delhi University, a QS ranked university in India. Before that she has held research positions in IIT Mumbai, IIT Chennai and IISc Bangalore. She holds 2 patents and over 20 research publications in her name which are highly cited. Her area of research is in smart technologies, integrated devices and communications. She also has a penchant for blogging and is an editor of Business Fundas.