If you have started a health coaching or fitness business you might be wondering if you need a website. Wellness business experts disagree on the need for a website. Here is my opinion.
If you are really not ready to set up a website, or you just want to get your business online quickly, then scroll down to find out some other options.
A website makes your business look more professional
We have reached a stage where a website has become necessary for businesses to look professional. If I want to make sure that a business is legit or to find out more about the business, I’ll check out the website. And I’m not alone. Over 80% of people research a business on the internet before making a purchase.
I’ve seen health coaches attempt to post content only on social media and they get limited results.
On the other hand, I’ve also seen some websites that are very unprofessional looking. These probably don’t help you attract clients.
What if you only work locally?
Websites are fantastic for local businesses. If someone is searching in your area, if you have set your website up properly and it has been up for a while, then you are likely to be found.
And as I write this we are still in a global pandemic and many local businesses have been forced to move entirely online. If you didn’t need a website before you certainly do now.
Social platforms can change
You may have been told that you can just use a Facebook page for your business. Or some other social media platform. But social platforms can change. They can close your account if they feel you have violated a policy. Algorithms can change making it harder to be found. Recently Facebook started deleting some posts about health, which makes it hard for health coaches.
You can use it to share content
Yes, you can share content on many other platforms. You can you Youtube or social media for videos, Medium for blog posts, or podcasts. But a website allows you to share content easily and in a format you like. You can make your blog posts look the way you want, include a summary page for each podcast and embed your Youtube video content on your website. Especially if your main type of content is blog posts, I recommend a website for the ability to share content.
Not taking advantage of content on your website is one of the key mistakes that health coaches make with a website. To find out more mistakes, click the image below:
You can get found through search engines
It does take some time and effort to get found on Google, but Google traffic can be a big help to your business. Someone on social media is looking for connection, entertainment or information, but someone on Google is looking for a solution to a problem.
Connection is important, too, but often people will follow you on social media after they find you through a search engine.
You can use it to create landing pages and sales pages
There are several landing page builder’s available, but these are generally expensive. Some email marketing platforms include landing page builders. If you already have a website, then this gives you another option for landing pages and sales pages. You don’t need to pay extra to use landing pages on your site, but the downside is you may need to use a website builder or outsource to get a stunning landing page.
Some other tech platforms require a website to sign up
Some email marketing platforms require that you have a website to sign up. They want to make sure you are legitimate and not using their platform just for spam. There may be ways to get around this by using something else to represent your web presence.
Or if you want to create a business account on Pinterest you need to have a website.
Isn’t a website hard to set up?
Building a website is easier than ever. You can use simple drag and drop platforms or add a drag and drop plugin to your WordPress site to make it even easier. If you are completely overwhelmed by the process, you can also have someone create the website for you. If you have no idea of what pages your website needs, then check out this article.
Other options for having a web presence
If you are really not ready to start a website, either mentally or financially, then there are options for having a web presence. A Membervault account is an option. Membervault can be used a platform for hosting your programs, but you can also host all your free content, challenges and even one to one client portals.
One of the best things about Membervault is that it’s free for your first 100 users. You can set up your account here. (I am a Membervault certified partner and an affiliate).
If you use Mailerlite as your email service provider, they have an option to create a simple website on right on the platform. This is even available on the free plan, but you won’t get a custom domain but it will be something like mypage.mailerpage.com.
Summary
Yes, you do need a website (or at least web presence)! If you are wondering what other types of tech your wellness business needs to be successful check out this free guide.
References:
https://www.beamlocal.com/5-reasons-every-business-needs-a-website/
