You’re a small business. Do you really need a big website? 

The short answer: Yes. 

The long answer: Yes. A website is important for any business—no matter the size of it or the industry it’s in. Over the years, the internet has quickly become the hottest spot for brands to be. It’s where consumers are starting their search. It’s where potential policyholders are shopping. It’s how people are making important insurance decisions. 

Still not convinced? Take a look at the top seven benefits a professional website can bring:

1. Gain credibility. If you can’t find it on the internet, is it really real? For many consumers, the answer is no—which means if someone is searching for your agency, but sees no results, they’ll likely search for someone else. Having a website shows you’re established and easy to connect with. Customers are comfortable doing business with brands who meet them where they are. And these days, that meeting place is online. 
2. Promote your agency every single day. On a website, it’s natural to list all of the products and services you offer. Provide detailed descriptions and special updates to give consumers everything they need in one convenient place. 
3. Be available 24/7 — without actually being available. Effortlessly, a website is accessible at all hours of the day, every day. Potential policyholders can access your agency’s information wherever they are on their insurance journey, whenever they need to. 
4. Connect with new customers. If you have a website to stumble upon, consumers are sure to stumble upon it. Simply searching “insurance agencies near me” could populate your agency’s website—attracting people who might not have found you otherwise. 
5. Boost your SEO. Having a website is the easiest way to ensure your company can rank in an internet search. Having a website that strategically uses keywords to attract consumers can give you a higher rank in that internet search. 
6. Get more referrals. A lot of agents hand out business cards, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But, a business card can be lost. A phone number can be forgotten. A website, on the other hand, is a simple way to refer friends and family members to a business. All it takes is the ability to copy and paste. 
7. It’s cost effective. There are one million ways to advertise your business, but with most techniques, there’s one thing that’s true across the board. Whether you choose radio, TV, digital or outdoor, you pick a flight date and then pay your invoice. With a website, your agency’s name and information is always live. And after you’ve invested in getting a website up and running, the cost of maintaining it is relatively low. 

Establishing a strong web presence is the first step in taking your business to new heights, but maintaining that site is almost equally important. While the internet is a fast-moving and ever-changing, implementing a few simple habits for maintenance of your site will help keep it fresh and engaging for visitors. 

• Switch up the look. Strong visuals can make a big impact on any website, and switching up the look of your site by rotating out these images and videos is one of the simplest and most effective ways to give your site a facelift. 
• Blog about it. Creating a blog for your business with relevant, engaging content will set you up as an authority in your industry and give you content to push out through eBlasts and social media channels. It’s a great way to keep your site fresh, increase visitor engagement and ensure new leads continue to roll in. 
• More content means more keywords. As you increase the amount of content on your site, there is also increased potential for SEO. Uploading new articles, web pages and copy blocks on a regular basis will give you more opportunities when it comes to analytics.  
• Interact with your own site. When was the last time you visited your website? Did you find it aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate? If there’s something you find tricky or confusing, it’s likely your site visitors do, too. Be your own worst critic when it comes to your web presence.
• Stay on trend. You don’t have to be a web developer to know what’s trending online or a graphic designer to replicate some of that on your own site. Switching out some icons, logos or graphics is an easy way to pull your site into the modern day.

A professional, polished looking website that functions easily and provides quality content tells current and potential customers that you are worthy of their business.