Do you remember the days when mom-and-pop stores were the only option for shopping? Ah! The world has come a long way since then, where the modern buyer can shop to their heart’s content from the comfort of their home.
As per Statista, every customer order includes at least four products that were purchased online. Grocery items are expected to become the largest e-commerce category by 2026. By 2027, e-commerce retail will have a market value of over $8 trillion.
These figures provide us with a clear glimpse of where the current world of trade is and where it is about to be headed. All of this becomes possible with the help of innovative, user-friendly business websites. Not convinced yet? In this article, we will discuss the importance of a business website, different options for building one, and why you can break the mold with a website builder like Glass.
Importance of a Stunning Business Website
Let’s use an analogy – consider your brand’s website as its residence where the URL is the fixed address. After all, it is the virtual space you rent to run your business. In case you don’t have an exclusive space, what would that come across as?
In simple terms, your organization will lack credibility in the potential customer’s eyes. It will be much like somebody setting up a lemonade stand in an intersection on a hot summer day. People may purchase from you once, but they will be skeptical as to the future of your business. In the back of their minds, they will believe that your offerings will be gone sooner or later.
A lack of a well-planned website screams a lack of professionalism. Back to the lemonade stand; where are customers supposed to look if they wish to buy again in the future? Who should they contact, and will services be available on demand? So many questions go unanswered after the first purchase.
Since a website is like a property, you can’t build it just anywhere – there must be a specific address/digital location to host it. Then, it will have rooms in the form of landing pages for straightforward information. Let’s not forget the interior décor, which is what attracts clients to a physical store as well.
Your potential clients will not have to wonder where you may be found. Plus, this allows you to utilize organic traffic, one of the key drivers of ROI. When all is done and set up, it’s time to throw a housewarming/launch party so that others can know more about your business.
In a nutshell, the benefits of a business website include brand loyalty and trust, wider reach, round-the-clock availability, cost-effective marketing, better customer service, and means to showcase products and services.
Different Options for Website Building
There is, indeed, no single way to build a brand website. The reason why a lot of business owners fear this aspect is due to the intense coding knowledge required to build one from scratch. One option is doing it yourself through solid technical knowledge and web-building applications.
However, if you do not have mastery over HTML, we perfectly understand, and you’re not alone. This is precisely why other faster and more affordable options are available – site builder tools. A third option is relaying your needs to a web designer or agency, but why would startups with tight budgets swim in the deep end when they can get the same results at half the price?
Reasons to Use a Website Builder Like GLASS
In the previous section, we have made it clear that tools like the GLASS website builder are among the most convenient and easiest ways to build a business website from scratch. Now, let’s dig into the reasons why.
Cost-Effective Option
As mentioned earlier, hiring a team of professional web developers can burn a hole in your pockets. If you have adequate funds to set aside for a web designing project, go ahead by all means. However, budget constraints call for a more affordable solution.
Website builder tools can be that better alternative. As per GLASS, you can find hundreds of easy-to-use, pre-made templates for a professional-looking and customized website. Moreover, the features can be edited.
For instance – you can add images, change the layout, include relevant content, etc., to match your brand’s color theme and tone of voice. This means you have complete control over the look and feel of your site at an affordable cost.
Convenience and Speed
Even the timeline of building a website using coding is too long. It can take anywhere between one and six months depending on factors like complexity, resources, features to be added, etc. Website-building tools are specifically designed to eliminate this problem.
Think about it – does six months sound like a good time to market to you? With site builders, the process can be over within a few minutes if you like. Furthermore, you do not need to spend hours trying to understand the different functions and features.
The interface of site builders is easy to understand and will have your website up and running in minimal time.
Easy to Upgrade
Designing a website from scratch is daunting enough. What’s even more overwhelming is the fact that it is not a one-and-done thing. You must revamp or upgrade your website periodically to maintain market relevance. Frequent upgrades will also impact website security.
With a website-building tool, revamping is a breeze, be it minor tweaks or a full-fledged makeover. This means you also save precious bucks on regular maintenance.
Responsive Design
In today’s day and age, shoppers do not just use their PCs for e-commerce purchases. Mobile e-commerce was worth $2.2 trillion in 2023, amounting to 60% of all online shopping. This means your business website must be responsive enough for mobile user experiences.
Website builders are designed to offer a responsive layout that works for all kinds of gadgets – laptops, desktops, smartphones, etc. You also have the freedom to adjust the sizes of the elements and show/hide certain parts of a device.
In summary, it is also possible to add advanced integrations for ever-evolving customer expectations. In other words, the website builder tool will enable you to add features and plugins like Google Maps, Google Forms, and more.
All of this can be done without technical training or spending thousands of dollars. In exchange, you will get an innovative website with responsive features that meet your audience’s browsing and shopping needs.
