10 Things Every Small Business Website Needs

Did you know only half of all small businesses have a website? A website can be a valuable tool for any business when built effectively. A great website consists of many different elements such as crisp content, a clean design, easy-to-use navigation, and much more. A website with these elements can help a small business improve their search engine optimization, boost credibility, and drive conversions from potential customers. But how can you know if your website has all the right elements needed to be effective? Check out these 10 things every small business website must have:

 

 

1. Clear Description

Clearly stating your name and summing up your products or services on the homepage is key to grabbing your viewers attention and keeping them on your website. Your viewers should never wonder if they are on the correct website.

 

 

 

 

2. Simple Domain

Why make things complicated? Your domain name is like your brand. It should be easy for a user to type it into a web browser, so if possible, avoid numbers and dashes. Check out our list of TLDs to see which domain fits you the best!

 

 

 

 

3. Easy Navigation

One of the easiest ways to have viewers leave your website is through a complicated and hard to use navigation. Providing clear links to the most important web pages and having a site map are crucial for guiding visitors through your website. Your navigation bar should be clearly laid out and easy to access. You want to make it as easy as possible for your visitors to find what they are looking for, or what you want them to know.

 

 

 

 

4. Easy To Find Contact/Business Info

Your business information like your location and hours, along with your contact information like phone number or email address, are valuable pieces of information for those interested in your products or services. This information allows potential customers a way of reaching you which can help generate leads and sales, and also provides a smooth user experience.

 

 

 

 

5. Customer Testimonials

If you have a great business with happy customers, why not display it on your website? Consumers are often influenced by reviews when making their buying decisions. Providing real testimonials on your website is a great way to establish trust and credibility between you and your visitors.

 

 

 

 

6. Call To Action

Generating leads is one of many goals for small business websites, so don't forget to include a relevant call to action that compels your visitors to purchase your services or products. A call to action can also encourage potential customers to contact you, which in turn can boost conversions from your site. For example, a call to action can be: “Get a Free Quote” along with your email address or contact form. You can emphasize the importance of your call to action by placing it at the top of the page and/or using a unique design element, color, or font to make it stand out from the rest of the content on your page.

 

 

 

 

7. SEO Basics

Knowing SEO (Search Engine Optimization) will help you stay competitive, and may even help you stay one step ahead of your competitors. Learning and applying the basics to your website will help make your website easier to find on search engines for those looking for the products or services you provide. Check out our previous blogs that provide SEO tricks and tips to help you get started in learning the basics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Quality Content

Make your small business website stand out with quality content! A great way to generate buzz about your business is to write exciting content that your viewers will enjoy and will want to share with their friends. Quality content is great for keeping your customers interested in your business and creating a personality for your company/brand.

 

 

 

9. Secure Hosting

Having a reliable hosting is important to keep content up and running, and also to keep your information safe from hackers. Having your online information stolen can be a nightmare, don't let it happen to your business!

 

 

 

 

10. Design and Style

Those who visit a website often scan through a web page to sample the content before diving into the details, so for that reason you should organize your content in a way that's easy for scanning by:

• Getting rid of clutter - Break things down into short paragraphs, with headers (if needed)
• Using bullet points
• Highlighting important words or phrases
• Using color statically
• Choosing easy to read fonts


Post By: Justin Narayan