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5 Reasons Why a Small Business Needs a New Website Before the Busy Holiday Season

Published on October 3, 2022. Updated on October 5, 2026.


It's no secret that the period from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day is the busiest time of year for many small businesses. But did you know that how well a business performs during the next few months can mean the difference between turning a profit or loss for the entire year?

What might be more surprising, though, is that the holidays are actually a great time to invest in a new website. While taking on another project during the busy season may seem counterintuitive, it will actually help set your business up for success during the holidays and beyond.

The holiday season brings lots of new shoppers and potential clients, so now’s the perfect time to make sure that you have a website that can do all it can to attract them. Here are five reasons why small businesses need to get new websites before the busy holiday season comes around.


1. A website can help you maximize holiday sales

The holidays are always a busy time for businesses. Everyone from restaurants to retailers see an influx in customers during the months of November through December. A website offers businesses the opportunity to increase revenue even further during this already-busy time of year. It's like pouring gasoline on a fire.

Businesses can use their website to promote holiday specials and seasonal offerings to their customers. Restaurants can offer online ordering for customers too busy to cook or looking to cater a holiday get together. Retailers can use their website to highlight popular items, suggest gift ideas or even launch an online store. No matter how you use it, having a new website is a great way to attract more customers and maximize sales during the holidays.


2. A website can help streamline operations and ease your staff's stress during the busy season

Instead of keeping an employee on phone duty all day, juggling multiple impatient callers, answering the same questions over and over again, and trying to shout over the noise of your busy business, you and your team can utilize a website to better serve customers. Alleviating this stress creates time for your team to better serve customers and enhance the overall shopping experience.

Imagine your company website as the perfect employee - it is always on time, works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, provides accurate information, and consistently promotes your brand in a positive manner. Even when you close up and go home, your website continues to work for your business and allows customers to connect with you anytime from anywhere, proving to be a cost-effective and reliable sales person for your business 24/7. Why spend thousands of dollars a month more in payroll when you can invest a fraction into a new website?


3. The holidays are the perfect time to promote your new website

It's important to make your customers aware of your new website and all the features and benefits it offers them. You'll want to spread the word about your new website both in-store and online.

When your business is busy with shoppers during the holiday season, it's a great opportunity to promote your new website. Make the most of this valuable exposure and get your customers excited about your new online presence. Consider using these marketing tactics:

 
  • Add in-store signage that promotes your new website
 
  • Place postcards in customer shopping bags or keep a stack by checkout
 
  • Get promotional products like pens or calendars made with your website URL and hand them out to shoppers during the holidays
 
  • Incentive customers to visit your website for a special coupon or offer


4. You can take advantage of the holiday rush to gain valuable insight and feedback from customers

A website can do more than just promote your business or generate sales. It's also a great way to gather customer feedback and valuable data to build loyalty and further improve your overall customer experience.

You can use your website forms to collect feedback from customers and their recent experience. Incorporating tools like Reputation Management can help encourage more positive reviews. The holiday rush also gives you a jump start in building your customer database by encouraging website visitors to sign up for an email newsletter. This data will come in handy not just during the busy season, but even after holiday sales subside.


5. You'll be better prepared to combat the January blues

While the holiday season is the busiest time of year for most businesses, the first few months of the year are typically the slowest retail months. For many small businesses, the "January blues” are very real and kick-in the first week of the new year. Sales quickly slow down and stores empty out.

Rather than putting it off until after December, launching your website during the holiday season can help you maintain healthy sales and keep your customers back throughout the next year. You can send emails to your customers with an enticing reason to visit you or place an order online. You can use your website to promote after-holiday deals and discounts to combat slow or stagnant sales. And you can use the feedback you collected during the holidays to make in-store changes to better serve your customers. There are plenty of ways to keep the momentum going by leveraging your new website as a year-round marketing tool.


Don't wait - get a new website for your business today!

While the thought of getting a new website launched before the holidays might sound overwhelming, it's completely doable and worth considering. Remember, the holidays only come once a year, so you don't want to miss the opportunity to capitalize off them and maximize sales. A website will also better position you for the slower months after the holidays.

In short, you'll thank yourself in the coming months if you launch your new website today.

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Why a Facebook Page is Not a Substitute for a Website

When it comes to promoting and representing your small business online, it's important to have a strong, professional presence. Many businesses today turn to social media platforms, like Facebook, to create that presence. However, using a Facebook page as your primary or only online presence can be a huge mistake. In this article, we'll go over the top ten reasons why using a Facebook page as your business website is a bad idea, and explore some alternative options for promoting your business online.


1. You don't own it.

One of the biggest drawbacks to using a Facebook page as your business website is that you don't actually own the page. It belongs to Facebook, and they can change it, remove it, or make it hard to find in search results at any time. This lack of control can be frustrating and potentially damaging to your business, especially if you've put a lot of time and effort into building up your Facebook presence.


2. You eliminate non-Facebook users.

While Facebook has over two billion users, there are still plenty of people who don't use the platform, particularly in younger and older demographics. By relying solely on a Facebook page for your online presence, you risk eliminating these potential customers. While it's true that not everyone uses social media, it's important to consider all potential channels for reaching your audience.


3. SEO options are limited.

SEO, or search engine optimization, is the practice of improving the ranking of a website in search engine results. While it's possible to optimize a Facebook page to an extent, you are limited in the keywords you can target and the content you can post. Additionally, a Facebook page will only show up in search results once, while a website with multiple pages has the potential to show up multiple times. This can make it harder for potential customers to find your business online.


4. You may have to pay for ads to get seen.

Facebook is in the business of making money, and they use a "freemium" model to do it. While creating a Facebook page and posting updates is free, the reach of those posts is often quite limited. In order to get your posts seen by a larger audience, you may have to pay for ads. While this may not be a significant cost for some businesses, it's important to factor it into your marketing budget.


5. Functionality is limited.

On a Facebook page, you can post updates, upload photos, and use Facebook Messenger to chat with customers. However, the functionality of a Facebook page is quite limited compared to a website. A website allows you to create forms, add e-commerce functionality, and create custom pages and posts with a wider range of formatting options.


6. There's no sales funnel.

A sales funnel is a series of steps that a potential customer goes through on their way to making a purchase. On a website, you can use calls-to-action, landing pages, and other tactics to guide users through the sales process. With a Facebook page, you don't have the same level of control and therefore don't have the same ability to guide users towards making a purchase.


7. Content is limited.

While it's possible to write an "About Us" section and post updates on a Facebook page, there isn't really a place to post in-depth content that can draw in users and improve your search engine ranking. A website, on the other hand, allows you to create blog posts, articles, and other types of content that can help you attract and retain customers.


8. You can't brand the page.

On a Facebook page, you can add a cover image and upload a profile picture, but you can't really brand the page beyond that. A website, on the other hand, allows you to choose your own color scheme, fonts, and design elements to create a cohesive and professional look.


9. Searching for content is difficult.

On a website, you can save, organize, and make pages and posts searchable. This makes it easy to find and refer back to older content. On a Facebook page, the options for saving and organizing content are much more limited, and there is no way to export your content. This makes it difficult for both you and your customers to find and refer back to older posts.


10. Analytics and data are lacking.

Finally, the analytics and data available on a Facebook page are not as robust as those on a website. While Facebook does provide some information on the reach and engagement of your posts, it's not as detailed or customizable as the analytics you can get from a website. This makes it harder to track the effectiveness of your marketing efforts and make data-driven decisions about your business.


A Facebook business page should be used in addition to a website, not as a substitute for one.

If you want to grow your business online, it's essential to have a professional website in addition to a Facebook page. A website allows you to promote your brand, fully showcase your products or services, create a sales funnel, and track your marketing efforts through detailed analytics. While it may seem easier and cheaper to use a Facebook page as your primary online presence, the limitations of a Facebook page make it a poor choice in the long run.

That's where our web design firm comes in! We specialize in creating affordable, professional websites for businesses of all sizes. Our team of experienced designers and developers will work with you to create a website that perfectly reflects your brand and meets your business goals. And, once your website is up and running, you can use your Facebook page to promote it and drive traffic to your site.

Don't settle for a limited online presence. Invest in a professional website and take your business to the next level. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your business succeed online.