You\u2019ve nailed\u00a0your home business idea, hired a designer for your website and published it for the world to see. Congratulations! But how do you make a small business stand out in today\u2019s competitive online marketplace? Well, it starts with your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A strong online presence<\/a> creates a positive impression, can drive more sales, and put your enterprise on the path for success. However, getting started can be quite a challenge for those who are new in the industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following tips can help you improve your small business website and help you get started on the right foot. Some of them are easier than you think!<\/p>\n\n\n\n A good website is one that\u2019s\u00a0simple and captivating. A complex design or excessive information can overwhelm visitors. Furthermore, an uncluttered design conveys a message of professionalism. So, consider allowing your website to have some space without the need to cram everything into one page, giving your users a more pleasant experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just as\u00a0accessibility is important\u00a0in the workplace, it is also important online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ask your\u00a0website designers\u00a0to make sure your website is accessible for people with disabilities and impaired reading. There are many (very easy) ways\u00a0to do this, oftentimes requiring a few lines of code be added to your page,<\/p>\n\n\n\n An easily accessible site with clear content is not just helpful for the disabled, but it also helps your small business rank high on Google. Google \u2013 and other search engines \u2013 use accessibility as a ranking factor when deciding how high to show your site in results. So make sure to improve it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the announcement of the\u00a0mobile-first index\u00a0concept by Google<\/a>, it would be bad for business to have a website that isn\u2019t responsive. What this means is that your site\u2019s pages will automatically adapt and re-size when accessed via mobile devices (more details\u00a0here). However, this in itself isn\u2019t enough, you ought to ensure that your website offers a user-friendly experience across mobile internet connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Viewers get impatient trying to access a site that takes too long to load. If you\u2019re working with a UX design agency like\u00a0Clay Global<\/a>\u00a0to build your site, make sure that your small business web design, especially the mobile versions, is small in file size and quick to load.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the biggest hurdles to doing business online is\u00a0creating trust with new customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A quick & easy way to help inspire trust is by including clearly visible contact information. Create a contact page showing your company\u2019s phone numbers, email addresses, physical address, hours of operation and company registration details, as well as a map showing the necessary directions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As well as putting this on the contact page, a good practice is for this to also be prominently displayed in the footer of your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Email marketing is currently one of the highest ROI marketing channels available online and a key driver of marketing automation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you build a website that doesn\u2019t have the functionality to capture your visitor\u2019s email addresses, you\u2019re literally leaving money on the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Adding email newsletter forms to your website is simple, with tools like\u00a0MailChimp<\/a>,\u00a0OptinMonster<\/a>\u00a0&\u00a0Drip<\/a>\u00a0providing simple forms to start building your email list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mostly, before making any purchases, people will conduct initial research to learn more about a product and the business offering it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the perfect time for obtaining a potential customer\u2019s email address using a\u00a0lead magnet, enabling you to continue marketing to them after they\u2019ve left your page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a small business website, you should focus on creating a professional look that\u2019s consistent with your brand. Utilize colours that match your brand\u2019s logo and hire a web designer to inject some uniqueness into your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Choose fonts, graphics, and\u00a0design templates<\/a>\u00a0that perfectly complement your overall website style. But don\u2019t cheap out and skip this step as your website\u2019s design\u00a0is very important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pay particular attention to your homepage, as this is often the most visited page on a website. Use the homepage to showcase your top products as well as injecting some information about your company and\u00a0brand story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Publishing regular blog posts on your small business website is a great way to\u00a0generate buzz around your brand. It can position your brand as a thought-leader within your niche and by helping your visitors find answers to their problems, generate feelings of\u00a0reciprocity<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Frequent blogging is also seen by Google to be a\u00a0positive indicator\u00a0for your business which encourages them to rank you higher in search engine results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before buying a product or service, people like to learn more about your company values, ethics & personality. Running a blog on your website is\u00a0the perfect way\u00a0to showcase these traits to new visitors. Moral of the story: make sure your website has a blog feature!<\/p>\n\n\n\n A CMS is a content management system. In other words, it\u2019s the software which runs your website. Choosing an appropriate CMS for your industry provides more flexibility for adding extra functionality later on as your business grows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No matter how hard your web developer tries to persuade you, you should avoid using a custom-built CMS for your small business website as you will likely encounter issues with changes, support, and upgrades in years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is plenty of good quality & low-cost software to run your small business website. Consider\u00a0Shopify<\/a>\u00a0&\u00a0WooCommerce<\/a>\u00a0if sell physical products or\u00a0WordPress<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0EasyDigitalDownloads<\/a>\u00a0for digital sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the world on online business, your\u00a0domain name\u00a0is<\/em>\u00a0your business name. For this reason, it\u2019s important you buy a domain that is unique and memorable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When purchasing your domain name, try to purchase a name which is short and easy to remember. Likewise, always try and get the .com version of your name. If the .com TLD is not available and is being used by someone selling a similar product, it could be wise to think of a different name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note: Some CMS providers do offer free subdomain address, however, it\u2019s advisable to avoid these as they can cheapen your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Testimonials are one of the most effective ways to inspire trust with potential customers. Testimonials\u00a0provide third-party validation\u00a0that your product\/service is trustworthy and that you are a reputable company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t underrate the influence that customer\u00a0testimonials & reviews\u00a0can bring to your small business website, even if you only have a handful. Place them prominently throughout your site\u2019s pages, especially around your products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also: rather than publishing generic recommendations, consider using a specialist reviews website like TrustPilot to further increase your review credibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Building a website can take time and occasionally be frustrating. But with the right website, your small business can thrive. Observing the above tips, even those which seem trivial, can help give you the upper hand, especially in a crowded marketplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Know your business goals and take the right steps. Create something unique and propel your business success to greater heights. Good luck!<\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Make It Clutter-Free<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
2. Accessibility Is Key<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
3. Let It Be Mobile Friendly<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
4. Make Your Contact Info Clear<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
5. Ensure You Have an Email Newsletter Form<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
6. Invest in Professional, Consistent Branding<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
7. The Power of Blog Content<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
8. Choose the Right CMS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
9. Get a Memorable Domain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
10. Display Customer Testimonials<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Bottom Line<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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