As the business world becomes more competitive, well-established corporations are eager to maintain their stranglehold on their particular market, which ensures that they remain at the top of the food chain. However, no matter how hard they try, small business websites with solid design and strategic marketing will have a fighting chance and can obtain a large measure of success.
Starting a business from scratch can be a daunting experience. A lot of decisions come at you fast and you have a lot on your plate. Most likely, one of these decisions would involve creating a business website and all the challenges that come with it. While creating a website seems pretty simple, getting the layout correct and having easily accessible call to action elements is essential . Here we will go over some tips for what to look for when planning and designing a small business website.
Having a user focused design ensures that your website will be appealing to a user and also gives your business a level of professionalism while providing your business with leads on an ongoing basis. Some necessary features which you should have on your site include the following.
Website Navigation
Crucial to any website is navigation. In order to have a site that is truly simple for its users, your navigation process should really be thought out and planned really well.
Some businesses would simply use the method of having a simple menu on the top parts of their site which highlights the various sections and a simple click can lead you to them. However, it would be optimal to have some of your key services or products featured prominently on the front page with some bold graphics or nice photos. This can help lead a user to the desired page quicker without always having to use the nav menu.
A Human Touch
Customers really appreciate it if you give them a feeling that they know something about you and your business. So make your small business website a bit personal. Have a section which talks about your business history or why your product or service is so unique. Make sure that your about page or team page is laid out with photos and a brief bio. This will allow the customer to have a bit of inside knowledge about whom they are dealing with and leave them with a sense of security knowing who the people are working at your business. So one feature which should be added to your website is a page which gives your customers some information about you and your staff via the creation of profiles.
Providing Visual Cues
The truth is a lot of people do not have the time or attention span to read through lengthy website copy. This is due to the fact most people just skim over the write-ups looking for what they consider to be the important points. Therefore adding visual cues and headings to your site are important for a clear concise message. This allows the customer to have an in-depth view of the most important parts of your business, remember most people don’t stay on your site very long if they don’t find what they need quickly. confused as to how your site operates. Adding visual cues could include adding icons which could really aid your customers to understand the inner circle of your website.
A Responsive Design
Google pretty much demands this of any business now. You must have a website that functions just as well on a phone or tablet as it does on a laptop or desktop computer. Seeing a website that is not mobile optimized will guarantee a potential client will go elsewhere. This is why having a responsive website design is needed to ensure that this never happens.
When you use a responsive design, your site becomes conscious of what device your customer is using and will change according to fit the device size and configurations. For example, your site would not appear the same way on a mobile phone as it would appear on a PC or laptop. This makes it easier for your customers to use the site and get access to all the services and products your small business has to offer.
So as a small business, before building a website, make sure the designer/developer is using responsive design to create it and if you already have a website and you have no idea whether your website is responsive or not you should find out here. The majority of website users will be using something other than a laptop or desktop computer to access your website so this is an important tip.
Call to Action
In a situation where a potential client needs your services or product, they will need to be able to get to that within a few clicks. This is why it is essential that you make sure your call to actions are boldly on display at all times in order to avoid confusion and frustration on the part of the customers when its not easy for them to contact you or make that purchase.
Small business websites should have a contact number easily visible and in a prominent place. It is recommended that your phone number and contact button should be displayed at the top in a easily accessible position.
Being a click away can get you more conversions and leads. Therefore when considering how to design your website, this is one feature you should have in place to ensure the success of your site.
Having a well planned and well designed small business website is a must in todays consumer focused world. By using some of these tips your website will have a good foundation and be ready to grow your traffic and get more leads and conversions than ever before.