Which is Better: A Funnel or a Website?
A funnel and a website are both important tools for your business. But which one is right for you? In this article, we’ll introduce you to both and help you decide which one is best for your needs. We’ll also show you how to get started with either a funnel or a website, or even both. Let’s get started!
What is a Funnel?
A funnel is a structure that helps you control the flow of something. It’s often used in a metaphorical sense when referring to a process where you funnel people or things through different stages. The idea is that you start with a wide audience or pool of potential candidates, and then funnel them down until only the most qualified or desired remain.
In business, the term “funnel” is most commonly used when referencing the sales funnel and/or the marketing funnel. These are similar concepts, but there are some key differences between them. All in all, a funnel is a marketing tool that helps you track and convert your website visitors into leads or customers. A typical funnel will have a series of steps, taking a visitor’s first contact with your website through to conversion (making a purchase).
The sales funnel is the process that companies use to move potential customers from awareness of their product or service to making an actual purchase. The marketing funnel is similar, but it focuses on the steps that companies take to generate leads and create interest in their products or services.
Both the sales funnel and marketing funnel typically include four main stages: awareness, interest, decision, and action.
The main difference between the two is that the sales funnel is more focused on the final purchase decision, while the marketing funnel is more concerned with generating leads and interest.
Why Use a Funnel?
There are several reasons why you might want to use a funnel for your business. Here are a few examples:
1. To track how many people visit your website
2. To see how many people take the desired action on your website
3. To identify where people drop off in the conversion process
4. To optimize your website for improved conversions and increased sales
What is a Website?
A website is a collection of web pages and related content that are typically hosted on a server and accessible to users via the internet. A website can be used for a variety of purposes, from sharing information to selling products.
A website typically has the following components:
1. A Domain Name: This is the address of your website (ex. www.yourcompany.com)
2. Web Hosting: This is where your website files are stored online
3. A Website Builder or CMS (content management system): This is the software you use to create and edit your website
4. Website Content: This includes the text, images, videos, and other media that make up your website
Why Have a Website?
Businesses need websites for many reasons, such as building trust with potential and current customers, providing an efficient way for customers to learn about their products and services, promoting new products and services, and increasing sales. A website can also act as a customer service tool, giving customers 24/7 access to answers to frequently asked questions, allowing them to submit support requests electronically, and track requests so that they can be answered promptly. In addition, a website can help businesses keep their customers informed about newsworthy events, such as product recalls or special sales and promotions. By providing this information in an easily accessible format, businesses can build customer loyalty and increase sales. Having a website is essential for businesses that want to succeed in the digital age.
How do funnels and websites work together?
A funnel works by directing your website visitors to take a specific action, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase. A website, on the other hand, provides information and resources to your visitors.
While a website is necessary to have a funnel, you can also use a funnel without a website. For example, you could use social media to drive traffic to a landing page where you capture leads.
Which one should you use for your business?
The answer to this question really depends on your business goals. If you’re looking to generate leads or make sales, then a funnel is the better option. If you’re looking to build brand awareness or provide information to your audience, then a website is the better option. The fact is, for most companies having a website, marketing funnels and sales funnels working in tandem is the trifecta.
Tools We Use and Recommend
If you want to take it on yourself, there’s no shortage of resources available for designing websites and building funnels. Whether we’re working on client projects or our own, here’s what we do and what we use to do it.
When we go old school for building websites, we use WordPress with Elementor or Divi. We host on WPMUDev, Elementor Cloud, or SiteGround, we buy our domains at NameCheap, and we like SendFox for email. I would say I have a love-hate relationship with going the way of WordPress.
On the one hand, there’s a lot you can do and often have more control vs. using third-party site builders. BUT (emphasis intended), it takes a lot of additional plugins (which weigh and slow down your site) and security needed to make everything work, and they don’t all always play nice together, so it can be a time monger. You also have to invest in so many extras, like software, themes, plugins, security, and hosting (and it better be good hosting if you want to keep your site safe from hackers, crashes, and downtime), that it can be a lot to manage and heavy on your pocket.
We’ve tried other site builders and funnel software, but those were adding up too and often lacked the features we wanted. So we decided to build our own! It’s called Funnelutions and it’s the platform we use exclusively for funnels, but the platform has it all. There are currently 14 different features altogether, making it really easy to manage so much of our business, so we are using it for building websites now, too. Funnelutions includes lighting fast hosting, email, SMS, phone system and numbers, call tracking, CRM (customer relationship manager), calendar/booking, pipeline, funnel builder, form builder, website and page builder, and even the option to brand it yourself to use for your company, team, or clients. If you’d like a free trial, head on over to Funnelutions.com.
If you need professional help with website design or funnel campaigns, contact us today.
