Startups: why every business needs their own digital address

Imagine owning your first home. For many, it’s a small apartment (or ‘cosy’, to paraphrase estate agents), in need of some loving repairs and typically in a noisy part of town but it's yours. For the first time in your life, you can paint the walls, host karaoke at 2AM if you want to, and fill it with plants to resemble a jungle. The freedom of ownership is heady and exhilarating.

Other places you’d lived in until that point may have been fancier, but you’d likely be constrained by the landlord’s rules. No redecorating, no late-dinner parties, and definitely no urban jungle.

That’s the difference between having your own website and relying solely on social media for your business. The latter may be sleek and convenient, but you’re playing by someone else’s rulebook. Your website, on the other hand, is your digital home. Quirky animations? Go for it. A bio page for the office dog? Why not? It’s your website where your brand’s personality can run wild and free.

I appreciate that the allure of social media is undeniable. The reactions to content is addictive. And it’s certainly where the crowds are. In 2021, over 4.26 billion people worldwide used social media, with projections suggesting this figure will soar to nearly six billion by 2027. It’s no surprise that so many companies view it as an accessible and budget-friendly alternative to traditional websites. It’s perhaps this that motivates over one in four (27%) small businesses to operate without a website.

But, to continue the metaphor, relying solely on social media is akin to perpetually living in a hotel – it might seem luxurious at first, but you'll soon miss the comforts and freedoms of home. Equally, you might not take the opportunities available outside your door.

While there are many, here are just two reasons that make websites so essential:

1. Personalisation (or your home, your rules)

Just as you can arrange your home to suit your tastes, a website offers unparalleled flexibility to tailor the user journey. From layout and design to content and functionality, you can customise every aspect to align with your target audience's preferences.

Imagine your website as a house where each room serves a specific purpose. The living room might feature personalised product recommendations, the kitchen could offer custom user interfaces, and the study might house targeted content based on user behaviour and preferences. These features enhance user engagement and satisfaction in ways that social media platforms, with their rigid formatting and design requirements, simply can't match.

Moreover, your website allows you to retain loyal customers by offering them VIP access to special features, products, or services – like an exclusive members' lounge in your digital home. Personalised discounts, loyalty programmes, and membership-based content are just a few ways to cultivate customer loyalty.

This level of personalisation is particularly crucial during periods of economic uncertainty. The ability to offer tailored recommendations fosters loyalty and promotes customer retention, much like a warm, inviting home keeps loved ones coming back.

2. Control content and master your domain

When you own a home, you have full control over its contents. Similarly, a website grants businesses authority over their content, free from the whims of platform policies and algorithmic shifts that plague social media.

Consider your website as a gallery wall. You curate what’s there, decide how it’s displayed and control who sees what. This is a high level of autonomy, and helps your content to remain available to customers, regardless of changes in external policies.

For those wanting to view the gallery wall, you’re there to offer personalised guidance and support. Similarly, by building features such as contact forms, chatbots, and comprehensive FAQs, you can offer prompt, tailored responses to customer inquiries. This enables you to cultivate higher customer satisfaction and build stronger relationships.

On the flip side, social media profiles and their content aren’t truly yours. It’s like renting a fully furnished flat – you can arrange the furniture as you please, but you can’t take it with you once you leave.

The best of both

Of course, when it comes to websites and social media, it’s not an either-or situation. The most effective digital strategies often involve a combination of both.

Your social media channels will serve as powerful tools to increase brand awareness and drive traffic to your website. They offer opportunities for quick interactions, content sharing, and community building. But it's your website that should act as a comprehensive hub for your business, providing in-depth information, facilitating transactions, and offering a fully branded experience.

By using social media to complement your website, you can create a robust online presence that leverages the strengths of both platforms. Social media will help you reach new audiences and stay connected with your customers in real-time, while your website provides the space for more detailed engagement, secure transactions, and personalised experiences.

It’s irrefutable that your brand deserves more than a guest appearance on someone else’s platform. Set the rules, curate the experience and build lasting connections with a website that’s truly yours.