With so many affordable, high-quality options available these days, anyone can have an awesome small business website. After all, your website is a crucial part of your branding and marketing strategy. Even if you only have a local business, you can steer consumers to your site. Did you know that over 90% of people research a local company before they go there?
For that reason, it is essential to have a well-designed website with a properly executed marketing strategy in place. Your site should be hooked up with Webmaster Tools, Analytics, Google Local and all the social media channels that your audience uses.
Golden Rule: When people search for a key phrase on the search engines, they are looking for answers to a specific question. The key is for your website to answer their questions and convince them (gently) that your business is the place to get whatever it is that they need.
Also, remember that unless your website design is right for your audience and your business, you are not capitalizing on huge potential income opportunities. Therefore, you should follow these guidelines to ensure that your website is up to par:
1. Take Your Time
When most people start a new businesses, they want to get their online presence out there as soon as possible. I want to urge you today to take your time to research your target market to get a clear understanding of who they are, what they need, and how you can appeal to their unique desires. Your website should be designed around that, taking into consideration font sizes (if you’re an optometrist, you might want a slightly bigger font with smaller sections of text), and colors (a psychologist would use calming hues).
Also, remember that not everyone is your target market.
2. Make a Statement, Not an Entrance
Many people make the mistake of thinking that their websites should be as flashy and busy as possible. The truth is that, the busier the website, the bigger the bounce rate (the amount of people who leave the site after looking at your home page).
Your SEO strategy and your design should work together in not only bringing people to your site, but also keeping them there, gently guiding them through your funnel.
Most often, a person knows exactly what they’re looking for when they get to a website, so your site should be designed in a way that lets them know what the next step is in less than 3 seconds.
3. Use a Strong Call to Action
A website is more than just a directory entry with some info about your business. It can be a fantastic sales tool, if used correctly. Consider what you want your visitors to do when they come to your site.
- Sign up for your newsletter?
- Buy your product?
- Contact you to make an appointment?
Be clear about what you want them to do next with well-designed, properly worded call-to-actions.
4. Make the Right Investment
A website is a website, right? WRONG. Most small business website buyers either spend too much or too little. Some people don’t understand the importance of investing in quality and end up with a cheap design and a poor website. Others are distracted by expensive agencies that create online presences for big brands. The difference is that household brands don’t require the same type of return-on-investment focused solutions that small business websites do.
5. Know When to DIY
In most cases, your website is your visitors’ first encounter with your brand. And visitors are often pretty judgmental. A small oversight here or a lack of design experience there can be magnified in their eyes.
Since first impressions matter, you want to be sure that your website is all that with-bells-on. Hire a professional to do your small business website – it really is the best decision.
Once your site is designed, you need to be sure that you update it regularly in order to keep it fresh in the eyes of your visitors and in the search engines. Need help? Unbound Website Creations has developed many small business websites. Our aim is to ensure that your website reflects who you are and that it speaks to your visitors on a personal level to maximize ROI. Contact us today or check out our website packages for more information on your new small business website.