As a small business, your company website can tell people a lot about who you are and what you have to offer. Here are some things to keep in mind to ensure you have a successful site.
The Design
Having a nice-looking design can go a long way toward making a good first impression with potential customers. Refresh your design on a regular basis to make sure it looks and feels modern. If you don’t have an in-house web designer, find a freelancer, or web design company to help you get the site looking nice. Having fresh content also helps to keep it from feeling stagnant. If a visitor sees that you haven’t updated the company blog for over a year, for example, it’s not a great look, and they likely won’t return.
Usability
Looks are one thing, but website usability is crucial. If your site is hard to navigate or buggy (i.e. forms don’t work properly or pages don’t load), it’s going to give a negative impression, and possibly keep people from buying. There are a few things more irritating to users than having difficulty trying to make a purchase or find the information they need. A website with poor usability shows potential customers that you might not be the right place to buy from. Competition is only a click away.
Your Brand
Your company site is a great place to show off your brand. Social media can help to amplify it, but your site gives you all the space you need to show people what you’re all about.
“Your website is going to showcase the overall brand of your company,” says Katie Smith from Bandignity. “From the first look people will get an indication about whether your business is professional, it may even tell them whether you are a more casual company. The look of the website will show how you do business. You don’t want a casual looking website (i.e. packed to the brim with colors) if you are looking to deal with customers in a professional manner, such as a lawyer or doctor. This might chase them away.
Your Values
Your site is also a great place to tell people about your company’s values. Include your mission statement, an “about” section, and any other information that lets customers know what you stand for and why. Many consumers specifically look to do business with brands with shared values. This is your chance to help them identify yours. Try to do so in a way that won’t alienate others that may have a different outlook.
Your Offerings
Of course, a key component of your website should be what you are. It needs to be clear exactly what you offer and for how much, or at least the ability to request a quote. If a potential customer visits your site and can’t determine whether or not you provide the products or services they need, then that is a problem. It needs to be obvious and easy to find. It needs to be just as easy for them to begin the process of buying.
Your website can tell potential customers a lot about your business. Make sure they’re getting the right message!
