What’s the first thing you do when a friend recommends a new business to you? You probably head straight to their website to look up their location, explore their products, and figure out their range of prices. So, why do nearly 40% of small businesses not have websites? According to Clutch research laid out by Kelsey McKeon, it’s usually an issue of cost and relevance. 

That doesn’t mean small business owners can’t be won over. About 22% of small businesses plan to eventually develop a website. How can you help spur them on? 

Reveal the Relevancy

As discussed, many consumers turn to companies’ websites to learn more about a business they’re unfamiliar with. McKeon says that websites legitimize companies. “Websites are effective at providing necessary information about companies to customers online,” she says. “They also reach more customers than word-​of-​mouth or other forms of marketing.” Small businesses agree with this statement; 22% say websites help build brand awareness and websites aid 17% in establishing customer relationships.

Tackle the Cost Issue

About 30% of small businesses with websites found that simply having a website has increased their sales and revenue. Here’s why. First, websites give small businesses legitimacy. Second, more consumers, especially millennials and members of Generation Z, have grown accustomed to the ease of shopping online. If a small business doesn’t have a website, it could be missing out on quite a few potential sales. The best part? Websites can be built to accomplish all of this for under $10,000 (65% of small businesses spent less to get their website up and running).

In just the past six months, 41.5% of Local First Shoppers have used a mobile device to purchase products online. Want to learn more about the shopping habits and demographic and advertising information for these and similar shoppers? AudienceSCAN by AdMall from SalesFuel has an array of online customer profiles to explore.