Look at these numbers, less than two-thirds or 67% of small businesses in the United States are still without websites. Of the percentage that has a website, only about half are optimized for mobile devices. This means that around 40% of small businesses in the country still don’t have a website. That includes professionals in the medical field. Your dentists don’t have dental websites. Imagine not being able to access your dentist when you need to check out appointment schedules and the like.
Another study said that 29% of small businesses are planning to start their websites this year. Of course, many of these plans have been hampered by the coronavirus. Some of these businesses had to close down during the pandemic. Many of them had to retrench their workers. Almost all are cutting down on business expenses. Spending on dental websites is the least of their worries now.
But industries are moving forward and transitioning into digital platforms. Here are the things you are missing out on when you don’t have a website:
Email Marketing
Email marketing is less effective when the business has no website. This is still an effective tool in promoting a business. However, when you have no website, where do you link back your email marketing campaigns? If customers click on a link, where does that link take them? It could lead them back on your social media page, which now has a marketplace. Still, most customers aren’t comfortable to make purchases from social media.
Search Results
You are losing traction on social engines. Search results are based on existing web pages. When customers search for your business online, only your business name and address will appear on the search results. Where can your customers go to learn more about your business? Dental websites act as a hub of information about your business—from appointments to business hours to information about the dentists.
Social Networks
Like search engines, social media such as Facebook and Twitter also change their algorithms. One day, you’re appearing on your friends’ feeds, and the next, you’re almost non-existent. There is no way of knowing when these changes will suddenly arrive. But when you have dental websites, you have more control over how to reach your customers and how your customers can reach you.
Legitimacy
Having a website makes your business more legitimate. Consumers these days want to get as much information about a business as they can. But if you don’t have a website, you will look dubious. Your business will look mysterious and secretive, which aren’t the traits that businesses should be.