How Much Can Your Website & Social Media Impact Your Sales?

How Much Can Your Website & Social Media Impact Your Sales?

If you’re wondering whether your digital presence actually moves the needle for your business, you’re not alone. In Change3’s recent event, How Much Can Your Website & Social Media Impact Your Sales?, Kneko Burney Miller (CEO of Change3) and Sandi Johnson-Shadwick (Head of Client Success at Change3) tackled that question with data, real stories, and practical advice for small to mid-sized businesses.

Common Pitfalls: Digital Is Often an Afterthought

Many business leaders still believe their sales teams and referral channels carry most of the load, and that their website and social media simply do not drive meaningful results. During the event, Kneko shared that she still encounters websites that have not been updated in 15–20 years. In addition, Sandi shared that a staggering eight out of ten businesses she contacts have websites with expired SSL certificates, broken links, or outdated content. Most have not even run a basic site scan to assess their performance.

Many owners do not have the time or skills to maintain their website or manage social media. For some, it becomes a second job just trying to keep up. Without a clear strategy, even well-intentioned efforts fizzle out.

Survey Results: Websites and Social Media Are Underutilized

A poll of 71 executives highlights the gap:

• 35% said their website is mainly used to showcase offerings.
• Another 28% use it only for contact information.
• Just 14% said their website enables lead generation.

When it comes to social media, the picture is just as limited:

• LinkedIn is the most-used platform by far (33%), followed by Facebook (19%).
• Most companies do not participate meaningfully on other platforms—even major ones like YouTube, Instagram, X (Twitter), or TikTok.

Generational Shifts Are Changing the Game

Today’s decision-makers are getting younger each year. Many older professionals were laid off during post-pandemic restructuring, and younger workers, who are digital natives, are taking their place. That means today’s buyers are more likely to look at your website and your social channels before responding to an email or agreeing to a meeting. If your business is not visible or credible online, you may not get a second chance.

Tips to Get Started

1. Schedule time — Set aside a small amount of time, even just 10–30 minutes, to work on your website or social presence. Start with checking for broken links or outdated content. 
2. Keep it authentic — Talk about what you already know. Share tips from your expertise.
3. Involve your team — Salespeople can be a goldmine for content. They can talk about a case study or a success story they had recently, even without mentioning specific names. Doing this monthly or quarterly helps generate relevant, trustworthy content.

Final Thoughts

Take it one step at a time. Updating your website and showing up on social media may not transform your business overnight, but in today’s shifting buyer landscape, those small efforts can add up to major impact.

Be sure to watch the replay of our event, and check out our other upcoming events, replays, and insightful blogs!