Are you contemplating whether it is worth the time and effort to have a small business website?

With the technology that’s available today, it’s easier than ever to build a website for a business or a hobby.

It is possible to have a professional looking website even if you never build a website before. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make your own website for free.

Just in case you need more convincing data about why you need a website, take a look at the reasons below:

1. To Generate Leads and Sales

• There are currently 4,208,571, 287 Internet users. (Internet World Stats)
• 3.2 billion Internet users are also social media users. (Top 10 Website Hosting)
• It’s estimated that by the year 2040, 95% of purchases will be through the Internet
• 50% of people who conduct a local search on their smartphone visit the physical store within a day

2. To Position Your Products/Service as a Quality Business

• 88% of consumer pre-research their buys online before making a purchase either online or in-store
• 55% of people will search online for reviews and recommendations before making a purchase, with 47% visiting the company website, 26% checking out the physical store, and 23% of people talking with friends and family
• Customer testimonials have the highest effectiveness rating for content marketing at 89% (Social Fresh)

3. To Demonstrate the Expertise of the Team

• 74.2% of companies say content marketing increased their lead quality and quantity (Curata)
• 81% of businesses use video as a marketing tool to demonstrate their expertise (Hubspot)
• 58% of consumers say they have bought a new product in the last 6 months because of an influencer

4. To Increase Ease of Contact for Prospect and Client

• 80% of Google search interest in “near me” came from mobile in Q4 2014 (Think with Google)
• 54% of smartphone users search for business hours
• 53% of smartphone users search for directions to a local store
• 28% of those searches for something nearby result in a purchase

5. To Provide Clients with Easily Accessible and Useful Information and Tools

• 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience
• 72% of customers will share a positive experience with 6 or more people. On the other hand, if a customer is not happy, 13% of them will share their experience with 15 or even more.
• 88% of companies now prioritize customer experience in their contact centers
• 91% of customers would use an online knowledge base, if it were available and tailored to their needs

See the infographic below: