Because the daybreak of time (or not less than because the daybreak of the Web), enterprise house owners and aspiring entrepreneurs have been asking this query: Do I actually need an internet site, particularly if I’m already on social media?

The reply is a convincing “sure.”

Allow us to clarify why (and how one can get began).

1. An internet site enables you to personal your on-line residence

In case your internet presence is wholly depending on closed social media networks like TikTok, Instagram, or LinkedIn, you don’t all the time have these similar luxuries. 

This can be a phenomenon that creator and former Harvard Enterprise Assessment government editor Nicholas Carr as soon as known as “digital sharecropping,” a time period that refers to conditions the place a big platform proprietor successfully owns all of the content material that customers create.

Whenever you construct your individual web site with an open platform like WordPress, you personal each a part of it. You’re free to customise it any approach you need and transfer it between web site internet hosting corporations as you’d like. Whereas social media networks come and go, there are of us who’ve had their exact same web site because the mid-1990s. That’s a stage of stability social media alone can’t provide for your corporation.

2. An internet site provides you management over its look

Most social media platforms don’t permit a lot room for customized design or different aesthetic choices (with few exceptions like Tumblr, which you need to try for those who haven’t shortly). With your individual web site, you’ve got full management over each side of its look. 

You’ll be able to apply your individual branding, change the design, and add the images and photos you need. You may make your web site seem like you. For those who’re a WordPress.com person, we provide thousands of themes you possibly can select from (and for those who’re on a Business plan or above, you possibly can add third-party themes too).

3. An internet site provides you management over its performance

There are such a lot of issues you are able to do with an internet site that aren’t doable with simply social media accounts. 

For those who’re promoting merchandise on-line, want the flexibility to e-book appointments, or need to seize curiosity from leads, an internet site will make touchdown leads and clients a lot simpler than relying in your social profiles alone.

With an internet site, you’ve got extra management over:

• The checkout course of and buying expertise.
• How your services and products are offered.
• The complete buyer expertise. An internet site could be linked to an email marketing service, advertising automation platform, CRM, and different companies which can be important to working your corporation. You can even add ecommerce capabilities.

These items aren’t all the time doable with social media accounts, not less than not in a approach that’s optimum. 

WordPress.com additionally provides entry to more than 50,000 WordPress plugins that mean you can lengthen your website’s performance, it doesn’t matter what kind of web site you need to construct.

4. An internet site makes your corporation simpler to seek out

Not all social networks are simply indexable or discoverable by way of engines like google. Web sites, by their very nature, are each of these issues. This opens up one other large avenue for folks to seek out your merchandise, companies, and content material. 

Are you aware what number of searches Google processes each day? Literally billions, and you have to be getting your piece of the pie. With extra engines like google gaining market share, there are much more alternatives for folks to seek out your website.

5. An internet site makes you much less reliant on a single channel for engagement

Social media networks come and go, totally different platforms rise and fall in reputation, and nothing stays the identical for lengthy. What does that imply on your business website? You want stability, someplace which you can name residence, and a spot the place clients can all the time discover you. 

For those who’re primarily creating content material or constructing your corporation by means of a single channel, you run the danger of dropping your hard-earned viewers if something occurs to that particular platform (ahem…TikTok, we’re taking a look at you). 

Not solely does diversifying your on-line footprint aid you attain extra folks in additional locations, it additionally helps mitigate dangers when, say, a social community turns into unlawful to entry in your nation. 

6. An internet site makes your corporation look extra skilled

Let’s say you’re trying to find a plumber to repair your bathe. Would you belief a enterprise with only a social media web page to get the job completed, or would you reasonably discover somebody with an actual web site? Personally, I’d put my cash on the enterprise with an internet site as a result of they would seem extra reliable and reliable. I’d need to know I’m shopping for from somebody who cares about their enterprise sufficient to current their services and products as professionally as doable.

The identical is true for extra than simply companies too. For instance, for those who’re a content material creator working a YouTube channel, having an internet site that unifies your internet presence may give you a extra reputable look. 

For those who select to build your site with WordPress.com, you even have the peace of thoughts that you simply’re constructing on the identical platform as tens of millions of different websites, together with some main names you might have heard of. Even when your website begins small, it will possibly scale with you as your corporation grows.

7. An internet site can enhance engagement together with your viewers

Whenever you share content material on social media, you’re competing for engagement with everybody else sharing content material into your follower’s feeds. With your individual web site, you’ve got guests’ full consideration whereas they’re in your website. 

You can even improve engagement by including options like members-only sections and message board boards, creating areas to construct neighborhood instantly in your website. You can even add hyperlinks again to your social channels in your About web page, in your footer, and with social icons, creating constructive suggestions loops between your web site and different platforms you’re on.

Wish to combine your social media profiles together with your WordPress.com web site? Learn how with this guide.

8. An internet site is inside your attain

Irrespective of who you’re, you possibly can construct an internet site your self. That’s one thing we consider and see each day. Even for those who don’t have the price range for knowledgeable internet developer, you possibly can study the talents essential to get on-line and begin making an affect for your corporation. 

WordPress.com offers plans to swimsuit all wants and expertise ranges. Plus, we are able to present you how to build a site on your own (or you possibly can observe our quick start guide). For those who determine it’s time to rent knowledgeable to construct a website for you, we can help you there too.

9. An internet site helps develop your viewers and construct your corporation

The entire advantages we’ve talked about thus far are nice, however collectively, all of them add as much as development for your corporation and content material by means of improved engagement, possession over content material, and full autonomy in the best way you run your website. 

That’s what issues ultimately, proper? 

The time to construct your web site is now

Able to create a website of your individual? We’ve acquired you coated. WordPress.com pairs a wonderful website builder with world-class hosting to ship all the things that you must launch your website.