I get it. When you’re just starting out, you’re probably overwhelmed with everything there is to do to build a business. You’ve probably been told to start with the basics and take one step at a time. And that’s good advice.

Except some people go as far as to say that you don’t need a website to run a business.

Umm... really? I beg to differ.

I’ve heard some people say silly things like “you don’t need a website to sell stuff, you just need social media”. I fully disagree with that and let me tell you why.

REASON #1 WHY YOU NEED A WEBSITE:

For starters, remember the times when Facebook and Instagram were totally down on? It’s already happened a few times. People were losing their minds over the outages of these famous social media platforms. It even made the news!

Luckily, it didn’t last very long, but what if it did? What would happen to your business if you solely relied on running it through social media channels? Well, you’d be out of business in a snap.

Sure, technical issues happen with websites too. But, the huge difference here is that you’re in full control of handling those issues yourself ASAP. You can restore your site back to normal with a little troubleshooting. And if you’re with Squarespace, they’ll take care of that for you immediately.

However, with social media, you have absolutely zero control over what happens to your audience. If they suddenly decided to shut down Facebook or Instagram for good, you’d have no one left to sell to without having a website.

Your main goal should be to get people to your site and sign them up for your email list with some type of lead magnet. That list is invaluable because no one can take it away from you or shut it down. It puts you in control.

REASON #2 WHY YOU NEED A WEBSITE:

How about just because it’s the only way your business looks legit?

I once asked around in a Facebook group for help with my marketing. I wanted to hire a professional so I could outsource some of my tasks.

There was one person who reached out to me claiming she specializes in growing other people’s businesses through marketing. But guess what? She didn’t have a website!

Yikes! Do you think I’d ever hire her? Sorry, but no way. When someone tells me they’re a “professional” at business marketing (or any other business for that matter), but doesn’t have a website, I don’t believe them.

No business can possibly look professional without a website. It makes me wonder, how seriously are they taking themselves really? Is this just a temporary trial job for them? Can they be trusted? Or will they just take my money and run?

It’s very difficult to trust a business that has no website. It makes them look more like a side hobby than a legitimate business and it makes me wary of giving them any of my money. This is simply reality.

I realize this post might come off a bit harsh, but nevertheless, it needed to be said. I hope it inspired you to take action and take your business seriously. If you still haven’t put together a website, it’s never too late, and don’t forget that done is better than perfect.