10 Small Business Website "Do's"
June 12th, 2015
Are you about to embark on a journey of creating your first company website or revamp your current one and make it better than the previous? These few guidelines will help you make sure you're on a right track.
Find a Professional
Unless you like the process of renovating your website again and again (and spending money on it), it is much easier and involves less headache to find a professional who would create your website for you. Yes, it might be more expensive than "Website for $20 in a Week!" but chances are you'd have to redo it afterward. Also, if your users trust you with their personal data (when they log in, for example, or especially if they shop at your website), invest in the security of your database.
KISS
Romantic kisses are also good, but we're talking about Keeping It Short and Simple here. Too much text or one too many calls to action would not encourage your prospect to act, but rather the effect might actually be just the opposite - he would be so overwhelmed and simply leave.
Determine Keywords
This step can be done with the help of Google AdWords. Determine the strategic keywords for your SEO and other texts on your website and enjoy organic search results.
Little Less Information
You will never be able to cover all the questions your potential customer might have, so try to stick to 250 words (including your keywords) or less per page and one to three images. It would be better to talk to the prospect in person than trying to do a "one-size-fits-all" website.
Contact Us
The customer should not wander around your website to find a contact form. Place the form itself on the homepage or at least make sure your link to contact us is easily found.
Be Social
Grow your brand awareness through the opportunities social media gives you. Instead of waiting for your customer to come to you, go to your customer and be present where they are. Also, your business blog with fresh content also helps in building your brand.
Categorize
If you have several products or themes of content at your website, it would help to create a navigation bar with content sorted by theme and importance (or other filters that you think might be convenient) for your client.
Colors and Fonts
Use easy-to-read and simple fonts and colors for your website. Once you know your target audience, you can determine their age group and preferences, so use appropriate design. (But please, don't use Comic Sans... Even if your main target audience is kids, there are a ton of available fonts that are "kid-friendly.")
The Power of Testimonials
Prospects love to know what previous clients had to say about your service, so add testimonials to your homepage. This would gain the potential customers' trust and add kudos to your online karma.
The Age of Mobile
These days, if your website is not mobile and tablet-friendly, then you would lose many prospects simply because they won't be able to access your site when they have time (during the commute, for example), and possibly forget about your site later. Besides, Google's Mobile Algorithm would also rank your website lower simply because it is not mobile-friendly.
Would you like to get a free quote to see how much your project would cost?
