5 things every small business website needs

Is your website working for you? It should be one of the hardest working parts of your business.

It takes about 50 milliseconds (that’s 0.05 seconds) for users to form an opinion about your website that determines whether they’ll stay or leave. So of course an attractive design is necessary. But what else does a small business website need to keep visitors around longer?

Every small business website needs a compelling Home Page:

The first thing that most people will see on your website is your home page. It is usually the highest-ranking page for small businesses. Make it attractive and easy to navigate to exactly what a visitor is looking for.

The information that readers see "above the fold" is the most important. Above the fold is an old newspaper term for anything you can see without scrolling. Your business name, logo, and a clear description of what you do for clients should be at the top of your home page.

Your website needs an About Page, but it's not about you:

Customers rate the About Page as one of the most important elements on a business's website. It is the key to establishing trust with potential customers. But a major mistake that businesses make is writing an About Page that is all about them.

Why is that wrong?

Because customers care about their needs and an About Page should show the customer why they can trust you to help them solve their problems. Write your About Page to highlight how your story makes you an expert in helping them with their needs.

Your contact information for better communication with customers:

How many times have you landed on a business website and had to dig to find any contact information? In this day and age, there is no excuse for hiding contact information away.

Include a Contact Page with email addresses, phone numbers, and a contact form. Plus, put hyperlinks in your header or footer to make calling or email easy. It can be helpful to have links to your social media profiles in your header or footer too.

Good SEO that will help your small business website rank:

It doesn't matter how beautiful your website is if no one can see it! Having a good SEO strategy and implementation plan is essential.

Being the first result on Google leads to 10X the number of clicks as the 10th result. And if you land on page 2 of search results in some niches, you might as well be invisible.

Working with a company that can help you to optimize your site will make a huge difference in how and where you appear online. And can mean the difference between an abundance of new clients and closing your doors.

Clear Calls to Action:

Finally, make sure that you are telling visitors EXACTLY what you want them to do once they land on your site. Want them to call you? Create a button above the fold on your Home Page. Want them to visit your store? Make sure that your hours and location are prominently displayed. Want them to fill out an application? Include a button in the header of your website.

People skim websites so being very direct in what action they should take will increase the odds that they will take the next step towards working with you. And that is exactly the work you want your website to be doing.

If you feel that your small business website needs an overhaul, contact us for a free consultation on how we can help.