Is building a website still worth it in 2022?

We’re in the last stretch of 2022, and we often times hear business owners say it’s not worth investing the time and energy in building a website for their business. Social media platform use is at an all-time high, and businesses are relying on different channels to distribute content and promote their brands.

With this in mind, it’s no surprise that we frequently get asked whether building a website still matters and if it is worth the investment. The short answer is, yes, it still does.

In this article, we cover everything you need to know about building a website for your business.

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Does a website matter?

Sure, it’s possible to connect with your customers and succeed without a website. But, why would you want to not have a website? Here’s why a website still matters:

1. Websites build trust, authority, and legitimize your business.

This is tough to measure, but the last thing you want a prospect to ask themselves is “should I trust this business?”

When a potential customer first hears about your business, the first thing they will do is perform a Google search of your company name. If they see a well-designed, user-friendly website with valuable content in it, they will see you as a reliable company to do business with.

2. It serves as an online representation of the quality of your brand and the products/ services you offer.

A website is a tool you can use to consolidate all of your digital content into one central hub. With consistent branding and relevant pages in place, those who visit your website will have a good idea of what your brand represents and how you can provide value to them.

3. SEO Matters More Than Ever.

Having a solid website with proper SEO allows searchers to find your website and your brand organically. When you produce content on your website and optimize it for SEO, you will rank even higher in search engines and bring more attention to your brand.

Every major brand has a website nowadays, and you should too. If you’re just getting started, don’t worry about spending loads of money to make your website perfect. Just get something online with your name on it, so people know who you are and what you have to offer.

 

Where to build your business website

When it comes to building your website, you have three options for where and how you’d like to bring it to life.

Custom-built website

Creating a completely custom website usually requires hiring a web designer and a web developer, as the design and code is specifically adapted to your company’s needs. This type of website offers the most flexibility, however, they tend to be more expensive. This should not be your top choice if it is the first time you are building a website for your company. But It should definitely be your top choice if you are in your second or third iteration of your website.

WordPress Website

Building a website on WordPress is typically the best option out there for companies that are just getting started online. WordPress sites are built on your own hosting/domain. You can then install a theme and perform some customization. In addition, WordPress offers a large collection of plugins that can be used for SEO optimization and social sharing. This is typically the best and most cost-effective option for small businesses that need to build their first website.

DIY Website builders

Squarespace and Wix are other good choices for building your first website. They don’t require any coding, so there’s no need to hire a developer. These simple drag-and-drop builders allow you to populate your website with content and images to create a polished website. These options offer the least flexible website designs and features, but they are easy to use and will do fine for your first website.

Bonus: If you’re interested in setting up ecommerce for your website, you can achieve it through the WooCommerce WordPress plugin, or create a Shopify account.

Who should build your website

Once you’ve figured out where you want to build your website, you need to decide who’s going to build it. You have 3 main options, but choose the one that works best for you and your needs.

DIY

If you have the time and resources, you can build your website by yourself. If you have coding experience, you can go with a WordPress website. Alternatively, create a website using one of the drag-and-drop builders mentioned above. This is perfect for low-budget companies that are just getting started. It will probably take you longer, and you will have to experiment a lot along the way, but it is a simple way to get started.

Freelancer Web Designer

Hiring a freelancer to handle the construction of your website is the next alternative in terms of pricing. You can find one in the local community or on upwork.com. The main drawback of hiring a freelancer is they may not have all the resources to fully create a website that’s built for marketing (content writing, designing, SEO, etc.). You may have to hire additional people to help with the other components of the website if you don’t already have them on your team. In fact, you might have to hire two separate freelancers to complete your website: one to design the website and the other to program it.

Web Design Agency

Unlike freelancers, agencies have resources like designers, copywriters, and developers on hand and will do a thorough job of designing and building your website. Hiring an agency is more expensive than DIY or working with a freelancer, but agencies are generally the most reliable and won’t go MIA on you before getting the job done.

To sum things up, I highly suggest that every business invest in building a website. Whether it’s a simple DIY website or a custom-built one, your website is an incredibly valuable asset to your brand and is a must-have for 2022 and beyond.