In case you were wondering why?
First Impressions Count: Before a customer in Nigeria parts with their hard-earned money, what's the first thing they do? They Google you. With the unfortunate prevalence of online scams ("what I ordered vs. what I got"), customers are more skeptical than ever. They are looking for proof that you are a real, trustworthy business. Your website is the first handshake. If you’re missing from a Google search, they don’t just move on; they assume you don’t truly exist or aren't serious enough to invest in your own digital space.
Trust and Legitimacy: A website makes your business look established and reliable. It also gives off a serious business ready to serve the public. A social media page is rented land. You are subject to the platform's ever-changing rules, algorithm shifts, and the risk of being hacked or shut down. A website, however, is your own property. It’s where you control the narrative. A website with an "About Us" page telling your story, clear contact information, and customer testimonials makes your business look established and reliable. It signals that you are a serious operation ready to serve the public, not a fleeting side-hustle.
Your 24/7 Salesperson: Breaking Geographical and Time Barriers: Your shop in Lekki closes at 7 PM. Your Instagram DMs might go unanswered while you sleep. But your website? It’s open 24/7, serving customers from anywhere in the world. Allow that to sink in. A potential client in Abuja can browse your catalog and make a purchase at 2 AM. A Nigerian in the diaspora, looking to send a gift to family in Ibadan, can place an order without having to navigate time differences. Your website is your tireless salesperson, working for you even when you're stuck in traffic on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. It turns your local business into a brand with national and even global potential.
Data Advantage: When will you stop guessing and start knowing? Websites give insights into customer behavior, what resonates with your customers, sales tracking, what your customers are looking for,where they are coming from, how they found you and your best selling products. These help you plan smarter and your goal as a business owner should be smart work, not neccessarily hardwork.
Many SMEs may argue that websites are expensive, if you are on this table, my question is do you think you will make any more profit without investing in your business? Also, a functional, professional website can be built on almost any budget. With today’s tools and service providers, getting online is far more affordable than most business owners think.
Let’s paint a real-life example; consider a fashion designer in Lekki with only Instagram. She constantly struggles with fake pages copying her content and posts, but by building a website with her own domain, she establishes authority, protects her brand, and sells through a secure e-commerce platform.
This highlights the fact that a website isn’t just “nice to have”, it’s your business card, your shopfront, and your salesperson. Without one, you’re invisible to many customers who might have chosen you.
Your assignment after reading this is to google the top brands in your line of business and see for yourself how their websites help put them on the global map.
I will leave you with this question: If you lose your business’ social media pages today, what do you have to fall back on?