As a modern small business, having a user-friendly, reliable, and engaging website is a necessity. With so many potential customers online, having a great website serves to widen your business’ profile and draw in new and diverse customers.
Some business owners, particularly those who’ve owned an enterprise for a long period, may be disinclined to focus on their online presence. Sometimes it seems unnecessary, and for other business owners, maintaining a quality website seems prohibitively costly or complex.
But web design is actually fairly simple, and for minimal cost, can do wonders for your business. Below are three tips for creating a great website.
1. Make Your Site Easy To Use
Arriving at a clunky or difficult-to-navigate business website can be extremely frustrating for customers, leading them to quickly give up and go elsewhere. Your website need not be fancy, but it should be cleanly functional and easy to use.
Information like business hours and contact data should be easily accessible. If there are multiple pages — such as an “about” page, or a link to your online store — a menu to access them should be clear. Perhaps most important of all, effective web design means avoiding unnecessary plug-ins. These tend to slow down your site and can be irritating for customers.
2. Connect Your Site to Social Media
Given how important social media is for drawing in customers, your website should offer clear links for engaging with your business via social media — just as your social media profiles should link back to your main website. This engagement helps customers easily find you, and when applicable, make purchases. It can also help streamline online customer ratings, and help customers access your contact and other business information.
3. Consider Hiring a Professional
While there are a number of low-cost, user-friendly web design programs, you may also consider consulting with a professional to improve your website performance. A professional web designer can focus on the intricate details of an effective online presence, like effectively utilizing SEO strategies. A web designer will also be informed on industry trends and other details that can boost your site’s performance. Fortunately, many professionals can be hired at an affordable rate, and can create a long-lasting website that pays dividends over time.
In short, investing in a great website is a necessity for any small business. Try the tips above to make your online presence as effective as possible.