Are you looking for a way to make your website competitive as a small business owner?
Websites are essential for small businesses. They function as your digital business card, giving potential customers an idea of what you have to offer. Websites can make or break customer relationships.
It’s important to check all the right boxes as you are gearing up to launch your website for your business.
Read on to learn more about the characteristics of a good website so that you can attract guaranteed customers!
1. Design That is Optimized for Mobile Devices
It’s a fact: most users pull out their mobile phones or devices to perform local and global searches rather than typing in a Google search on their desktop. This is especially the case for millennials.
As the world becomes more and more mobile, it’s essential for you as a business owner to optimize your website for mobile devices. The top characteristic of a good website includes attention to the user’s technology.
This means that your website will adapt its presentation depending on the screen size and type of a user’s device. Visitors to your site who can’t access content because it isn’t optimized will quickly leave, costing you a potential customer.
Make sure your content is mobile-friendly from the start so that you can attract and retain traffic as a small business.
2. A Functioning and Relevant Blog
Our digital culture is quickly becoming a blogging culture, and for a good reason. Having a blog on your small business website is a fantastic way to engage with your customers, attract new ones, and improve your rankings in search listings.
Blogs that produce relevant and useful content to users also give you a chance to have a voice as a business owner. You’ll be able to write about new releases or subjects your customers are hungry to hear about.
You will even be able to read comments to posts and respond to these. This will let you keep your finger on the social pulse of your audience and market.
Customers will also be likely to find you online through blog posts, provided they are search engine optimized.
3. Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is becoming the leading marketing tool of the industry. SEO is free in many forms, easy to implement, and an effective way of sending your website sailing to the top of search results pages.
An optimized website is one of the top characteristics of a good website because it requires organized pages and distinct, useful content according to Google’s SEO guidelines.
It also means that you’re more likely to catch the eye of browsers, especially if you incorporate local SEO.
4. Simple and Professional Design
No one has time to read a dense or amateur looking website. The more streamlined and professional your website, the longer your visitors are likely to linger.
When it comes to web design, simpler really is better. Choose a foundational theme and color scheme that you can carry through individual pages. Write minimally on the home page and make sure that everything you present conveys a message of professionalism and care.
5. A Design That Thinks About the User
The most successful websites out there are crafted with their users in mind. This means that one of the best characteristics of a good website for small businesses is a design that thinks consciously about its visitors.
What does this look like? Put yourself in your visitors’ shoes. What would translate to a great user experience for you as a site visitor?
User experience is most positive when it’s easy to navigate between pages on a website, the information is clear and concise, and the user gets a great idea of the services you offer.
Build your website from the customer up. And make sure you incorporate a feedback form so that you can get an active response from visitors about ways you can make their user experience better!
6. Accessible Contact Information
At the end of the day, your website is a small business marketing tool. It’s your online business card. It’s also a great channel for potential customers to reach out to you as a business owner.
It’s therefore imperative that you have an accessible “Contact Us” page for your customers. Users should be able to fill out a feedback form or quickly get the contact information they need to reach you quickly and easily.
Have the tab to this page at the top of your menu, right next to your “About Us” or “Blog” tab.
7. Links to Social Media
Whether you are offering loans with no credit or vegan specialty chocolates, it’s important to talk up your small business across a variety of channels. Because social media is becoming more and more essential to small business marketing, you’ll want to make sure your profiles are in good active order before you launch your website.
Most importantly, your website should include links to all of your social media profiles. There should be constant crossfire between content you upload to your website and posts you share on Twitter or Instagram.
When you upload a blog post, share this post on Facebook. Make sure that all social media posts have a direct link to your website.
Not sure where to put your links? A lot of design templates for websites have social media icons built into the footers of home pages or blog tabs. You can also encourage site visitors to visit your Instagram page in your home page message.
Characteristics of a Good Website for Small Businesses
It’s important to put on a good face when you are launching your small business. Your website can go a long way in establishing your reputation as a company and attracting new customers.
When it comes to characteristics of a good website, you’ll want to opt for a streamlined, simple, and professional design. Also be sure to incorporate social media links and optimize your site for mobile devices. Keep an active blog and make sure all content is optimized for search engines.
At the end of the day, your website shines when you create your website with your user in mind. Get started on implementing these characteristics of a good website today! And be sure to check out our blog for tips on improving your website!
