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9 Reasons Why the SiteSwan Website Reseller Program is a Pandemic-Proof Business
Published on May 4, 2021. Updated on July 20, 2021
There’s no getting around the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected just about every industry and business to some extent or another. Nearly 30% of all small businesses across America have experienced a decrease in sales since the start of the pandemic. Many businesses have closed permanently, while others are still struggling to recover from the fallout of the past year. Entire industries were turned upside down – the restaurant and hospitality industries, for example, have had no choice but to completely revamp their entire business models in order to survive.
For entrepreneurs looking to start their own business, change their careers or anyone looking to generate another revenue stream for financial security, it’s never been more important to choose an industry or business opportunity that is not only lucrative now, but stable enough to survive the threat of another COVID spike or all-out pandemic.
Enter web design: one of the few industries that has not only survived, but actually thrived throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Many web designers are flourishing as small businesses continue to scramble to get their business online. At SiteSwan, we’ve seen a huge uptick in new resellers joining our program, and achieved a record number of sites built and sold on our platform during the last 12 months. There's no doubt that the demand for affordable web design is in high demand and will continue to rise.
If you’re thinking about starting your own business, here are 9 reasons why many SiteSwan Resellers haven’t seen a slowdown the way so many other professionals have, and why web design is a pandemic-proof business.
1. Small Businesses will ALWAYS Need a Website
While having a strong web presence was once considered a way to edge-out the competition, it’s now a requirement just to stay in the ring. A professional website is no longer an exception, it’s an expectation. Websites are like phone numbers – an essential means of communication for any business, and one of the most basic costs of doing business. Even if business is slow, you still keep your phone number, right? The same is true for a website.
Regardless of how well or how poorly the economy is performing at any given time, nothing is going to change the fact that if a business is looking to succeed, it’s going to need, and keep, a well-designed website. Think about it: even if a business is temporarily closed or has reduced operating hours, a website can inform its customers and potential customers about those changes along with everything else, providing 24/7 access. Every business should make their most vital information accessible from the web and on smartphones with just a click.
2. Demand for Digital Services will Continue to Rise
The demand for digital marketing services has increased significantly since the start of the pandemic. As newspaper advertising, in-person networking, and other traditional means of marketing were temporarily or permanently done away with thanks to the pandemic, businesses turned to the internet. Even daily activities associated with running a business were affected. Restaurants forced to restrict indoor dining turned to online ordering to supplement income. Even medical professionals incorporated telehealth visits as a way to limit contact.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses realized that there was a need to invest in improving their online presence and streamline their digital marketing efforts. As a direct result, updating or revamping their company website became a top priority. Chat bots, online ordering and other digital marketing solutions have also become increasing popular. And while we saw a huge shift to digital during the pandemic, many business owners ended up waiting, and are either doing this now, or thinking about doing it soon. Should there be another significant spike or pandemic, it's inevitable that demand will once again skyrocket.
3. You Can Work Safely from Home
One of the biggest perks of being a web designer is that you can work from the comfort, and safety of your own home. From building sites to communicating with clients, you can easily operate your entire business from a home office (or couch), as long as you have a computer, smartphone and reliable internet. As long as you have these three tools, you can work from anywhere, even if we face another spike.
This means there’s no need to unnecessarily expose yourself to COVID-19 in a crowded subway, busy office or talking face-to-face with clients. Plus, who doesn’t like not having to physically be anywhere at a certain time each morning?
Web design was one of the original work-from-home industries. Nothing else allows for an optimal work-life balance like working from your house or apartment. Embrace the work-from-home movement catalyzed by the COVID pandemic, and stay home.
4. Internet Usage and Online Shopping Surges During a Pandemic
When people are forced to stay home or out of work, what do they do? They surf the web! With more people spending time at home during the pandemic, internet usage has seen a huge spike. When consumers are spending more time online, that means more opportunities for businesses to be seen online. Without a quality website, a business can’t benefit from this increased audience size.
Online shopping has increased as well. According to the US Department of Commerce, people spent 44% more in online sales during Q2 of 2020 than they did in Q2 of 2019. Today, many people buy nearly everything online as it saves them a trip to the mall, minimizing their exposure to COVID. But before a mom and pop shop can start selling their products online, they need a well-designed website. This spells huge opportunities for local web designers and SiteSwan Resellers.
5. You’ll Never Be Forced to Shut Down
One of the biggest blows to our economy and small businesses was being forced to shut down and cease operations at their physical locations. Thankfully, unlike restaurants, beauty salons, movie theaters and other businesses that rely on being open to the public, web designers don’t have to worry about the threat of being forced to close for a period of time due to COVID-19 or another pandemic.
Even if we continue to see a rise in new cases and the state or federal government sets restrictions about who can do business and how, chances are it won’t affect you or your web design business. Since you can work remotely from home and communicate with clients via phone, email and text, you can continue to operate your business without a hitch.
6. Web Design Provides a Steady Stream of Income
While other businesses experienced a huge dip in sales during the past year, web design offers a reliable source of stable, recurring income. Not only do you generate upfront income from the initial site design, but you can continue to get paid the same amount every month for each site you sell through hosting and maintenance fees. This monthly revenue stream will continue to grow exponentially with each client you take on, providing a passive stream of income that you can depend on, especially in times of emergency.
Most small businesses have a “set it and forget it” attitude when it comes to their website and very few businesses will put their website “on hold” just to cut costs, even during dire times. Plus, if you’re selling websites to a variety of different industries, you’ll have an even more diversified client base to pull revenue from.
7. It’s Affordable to Start Up
Some businesses require loans or dumping your entire life savings into giant upfront costs just to get things off the ground, which is fortunately not true of web design. Web designers who work from home enjoy virtually no overhead, as things like storefronts, office space, leases, heavy equipment, employees and inventory are largely unnecessary.
With software options like SiteSwan, you can have everything you need to get started and grow a successful web design business for a low, flat monthly fee. This also makes web design a far less risky venture since you don’t have to pay a variety of different vendors to help you find your footing.
8. You Don’t Need to Have a Special Degree or Experience
While it never hurts to know your way around a computer and familiarize yourself with the industry, advanced technical knowledge simply isn’t necessary in today’s world for those who are looking to design beautiful and highly functional websites. If you choose the right platform to work on, you won’t need to worry about having to invest in a degree or gain previous experience to do great work.
SiteSwan makes it easy to create professional, fully responsive websites without any code, programming or technical experience required. We even provide ongoing training and technical support to help you succeed.
9. It’s Flexible and Can Be Run Part-Time
Being a web designer offers a great deal of flexibility in life. Between making your own schedule to better manage work-life balance, getting to choose who you work with and how, and determining exactly how much time and effort you want to put into a project, web design is the ultimate job for creatives who are looking to build a stable career without having to play by the 9-to-5 rules.
This is especially valuable during challenging times when you might need to assist your spouse, tend to sick family members, help your kids learn remotely, or even move to a new location. You can even run your web design business part-time or in conjunction with another job offering you the flexibility to devote as much time and energy to it as you like.
Launch a Pandemic-Proof Web Design Business with SiteSwan
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected so many industries negatively, but many people overlook the industries that have remained strong or even done better as a result of the changes that COVID has forced upon us. The web design industry has truly thrived during this tumultuous time and when you step back to understand why, it begins to make perfect sense. Web design has proven pandemic-proof and turning your attention to it can mean significant long-term benefits. Start building your career as a web designer today with SiteSwan!
There’s no getting around the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected just about every industry and business to some extent or another. Nearly 30% of all small businesses across America have experienced a decrease in sales since the start of the pandemic. Many businesses have closed permanently, while others are still struggling to recover from the fallout of the past year. Entire industries were turned upside down – the restaurant and hospitality industries, for example, have had no choice but to completely revamp their entire business models in order to survive.
It is truly one of the scariest economic times in modern history, and many experts believe that we will be dealing with the repercussions of COVID-19 for years to come. Now, with a rise in new cases all across the country and the emergence of the Delta variant, the threat of another spike in the coming months seems very likely. If we do find ourselves in a similar situation as last year, what would that mean for you personally? How would it impact your job or your financial security?
For entrepreneurs looking to start their own business, change their careers or anyone looking to generate another revenue stream for financial security, it’s never been more important to choose an industry or business opportunity that is not only lucrative now, but stable enough to survive the threat of another COVID spike or all-out pandemic.
Enter web design: one of the few industries that has not only survived, but actually thrived throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Many web designers are flourishing as small businesses continue to scramble to get their business online. At SiteSwan, we’ve seen a huge uptick in new resellers joining our program, and achieved a record number of sites built and sold on our platform during the last 12 months. There's no doubt that the demand for affordable web design is in high demand and will continue to rise.
If you’re thinking about starting your own business, here are 9 reasons why many SiteSwan Resellers haven’t seen a slowdown the way so many other professionals have, and why web design is a pandemic-proof business.
1. Small Businesses will ALWAYS Need a Website
While having a strong web presence was once considered a way to edge-out the competition, it’s now a requirement just to stay in the ring. A professional website is no longer an exception, it’s an expectation. Websites are like phone numbers – an essential means of communication for any business, and one of the most basic costs of doing business. Even if business is slow, you still keep your phone number, right? The same is true for a website.
Regardless of how well or how poorly the economy is performing at any given time, nothing is going to change the fact that if a business is looking to succeed, it’s going to need, and keep, a well-designed website. Think about it: even if a business is temporarily closed or has reduced operating hours, a website can inform its customers and potential customers about those changes along with everything else, providing 24/7 access. Every business should make their most vital information accessible from the web and on smartphones with just a click.
2. Demand for Digital Services will Continue to Rise
The demand for digital marketing services has increased significantly since the start of the pandemic. As newspaper advertising, in-person networking, and other traditional means of marketing were temporarily or permanently done away with thanks to the pandemic, businesses turned to the internet. Even daily activities associated with running a business were affected. Restaurants forced to restrict indoor dining turned to online ordering to supplement income. Even medical professionals incorporated telehealth visits as a way to limit contact.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses realized that there was a need to invest in improving their online presence and streamline their digital marketing efforts. As a direct result, updating or revamping their company website became a top priority. Chat bots, online ordering and other digital marketing solutions have also become increasing popular. And while we saw a huge shift to digital during the pandemic, many business owners ended up waiting, and are either doing this now, or thinking about doing it soon. Should there be another significant spike or pandemic, it's inevitable that demand will once again skyrocket.
3. You Can Work Safely from Home
One of the biggest perks of being a web designer is that you can work from the comfort, and safety of your own home. From building sites to communicating with clients, you can easily operate your entire business from a home office (or couch), as long as you have a computer, smartphone and reliable internet. As long as you have these three tools, you can work from anywhere, even if we face another spike.
This means there’s no need to unnecessarily expose yourself to COVID-19 in a crowded subway, busy office or talking face-to-face with clients. Plus, who doesn’t like not having to physically be anywhere at a certain time each morning?
Web design was one of the original work-from-home industries. Nothing else allows for an optimal work-life balance like working from your house or apartment. Embrace the work-from-home movement catalyzed by the COVID pandemic, and stay home.
4. Internet Usage and Online Shopping Surges During a Pandemic
When people are forced to stay home or out of work, what do they do? They surf the web! With more people spending time at home during the pandemic, internet usage has seen a huge spike. When consumers are spending more time online, that means more opportunities for businesses to be seen online. Without a quality website, a business can’t benefit from this increased audience size.
Online shopping has increased as well. According to the US Department of Commerce, people spent 44% more in online sales during Q2 of 2020 than they did in Q2 of 2019. Today, many people buy nearly everything online as it saves them a trip to the mall, minimizing their exposure to COVID. But before a mom and pop shop can start selling their products online, they need a well-designed website. This spells huge opportunities for local web designers and SiteSwan Resellers.
5. You’ll Never Be Forced to Shut Down
One of the biggest blows to our economy and small businesses was being forced to shut down and cease operations at their physical locations. Thankfully, unlike restaurants, beauty salons, movie theaters and other businesses that rely on being open to the public, web designers don’t have to worry about the threat of being forced to close for a period of time due to COVID-19 or another pandemic.
Even if we continue to see a rise in new cases and the state or federal government sets restrictions about who can do business and how, chances are it won’t affect you or your web design business. Since you can work remotely from home and communicate with clients via phone, email and text, you can continue to operate your business without a hitch.
6. Web Design Provides a Steady Stream of Income
While other businesses experienced a huge dip in sales during the past year, web design offers a reliable source of stable, recurring income. Not only do you generate upfront income from the initial site design, but you can continue to get paid the same amount every month for each site you sell through hosting and maintenance fees. This monthly revenue stream will continue to grow exponentially with each client you take on, providing a passive stream of income that you can depend on, especially in times of emergency.
Most small businesses have a “set it and forget it” attitude when it comes to their website and very few businesses will put their website “on hold” just to cut costs, even during dire times. Plus, if you’re selling websites to a variety of different industries, you’ll have an even more diversified client base to pull revenue from.
7. It’s Affordable to Start Up
Some businesses require loans or dumping your entire life savings into giant upfront costs just to get things off the ground, which is fortunately not true of web design. Web designers who work from home enjoy virtually no overhead, as things like storefronts, office space, leases, heavy equipment, employees and inventory are largely unnecessary.
With software options like SiteSwan, you can have everything you need to get started and grow a successful web design business for a low, flat monthly fee. This also makes web design a far less risky venture since you don’t have to pay a variety of different vendors to help you find your footing.
8. You Don’t Need to Have a Special Degree or Experience
While it never hurts to know your way around a computer and familiarize yourself with the industry, advanced technical knowledge simply isn’t necessary in today’s world for those who are looking to design beautiful and highly functional websites. If you choose the right platform to work on, you won’t need to worry about having to invest in a degree or gain previous experience to do great work.
SiteSwan makes it easy to create professional, fully responsive websites without any code, programming or technical experience required. We even provide ongoing training and technical support to help you succeed.
9. It’s Flexible and Can Be Run Part-Time
Being a web designer offers a great deal of flexibility in life. Between making your own schedule to better manage work-life balance, getting to choose who you work with and how, and determining exactly how much time and effort you want to put into a project, web design is the ultimate job for creatives who are looking to build a stable career without having to play by the 9-to-5 rules.
This is especially valuable during challenging times when you might need to assist your spouse, tend to sick family members, help your kids learn remotely, or even move to a new location. You can even run your web design business part-time or in conjunction with another job offering you the flexibility to devote as much time and energy to it as you like.
Launch a Pandemic-Proof Web Design Business with SiteSwan
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected so many industries negatively, but many people overlook the industries that have remained strong or even done better as a result of the changes that COVID has forced upon us. The web design industry has truly thrived during this tumultuous time and when you step back to understand why, it begins to make perfect sense. Web design has proven pandemic-proof and turning your attention to it can mean significant long-term benefits. Start building your career as a web designer today with SiteSwan!