Running a small business is no mean feat. Whether you’re a local boutique or an online store, your website is the foundation of your online presence. A well-designed and user-friendly website can help you attract new customers, generate leads, and increase sales. In this blog post, we’ll be discussing the 10 essential features that every small business website needs to help you drive success and grow your business.
Responsive Design
One of the most crucial features of a successful small business website is a responsive design. With so many people browsing the web on their phones and tablets, your website must be mobile-friendly and easy to navigate. A responsive design allows your website to adapt to different screen sizes and ensures that your customers have a positive experience, whether they’re browsing on their desktop or smartphone.
Easy Navigation
The navigation of your website should be straightforward and intuitive. Visitors to your site should be able to find what they’re looking for in just a few clicks. If people get frustrated they will just leave your website.
Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)
A clear call-to-action (CTA) is essential. Whether it’s placing an order, signing up for your newsletter, or scheduling a meeting/call, it’s critical to make it easy for visitors to take action. A well-worded CTA button or a contact form can help move visitors along the customer journey.
High-Quality Images
In the age of Instagram and Pinterest, visuals matter. Your small business website should feature high-quality images – your products, your team, your offices, etc. These images should reflect your brand’s style and tone, with a consistent aesthetic across all pages and sections.
Website Speed
People have zero patience for slow websites. Your website should load quickly, ideally within two seconds. Slow speeds affect the overall user experience and can result in high bounce rates. So optimise your website images and compress your website files to help speed it up.
Mobile Optimisation
Mobile optimisation requires more than a responsive design. Make sure your website is designed in a way that optimises or hides unnecessary elements to focus on mobile user experience. Mobile speed and addressing how customers can use your website on-the-go are just as vital as optimising for the desktop.
Reviews and/or Testimonials
Including customer reviews or testimonials is a great way to win the trust and loyalty of your target market. Customer feedback, comments, and reviews will directly help to build credibility for your business and provide social proof. Highlighting them prominently lets customers know that you care about their perspective, and they are valued.
Blog Page
Blogging is essential for every small business website. A blog is an opportunity to showcase your industry expertise, connect with your audience, and drive traffic to your website. It’s also a great excuse to regularly update your website with fresh content to attract your audience’s attention.
Visible Contact Information
Your website should clearly display your business’s contact information, including your phone number, email address, and physical or mailing address. This is especially important where you also have a traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ store. This information should be easy to find, ideally on your homepage or a visible area on the navigation menu. If you have social media pages, you should also include links to these profiles.
About Us Section
The “About Us” section of your small business website should tell the story of your brand, including your company’s values, mission, team members, accomplishments, and goals. This section can help put a ‘face’ to your business, create an emotional connection with your audience and build brand loyalty for your business.
Your small business website is an essential asset for your brand to thrive. It must be user-friendly, informative, visually appealing, and capable of engaging your audience. By incorporating these 10 essential features, you can create an effective digital storefront that translates to increased conversions and sales. It is worth investing time, resources, and effort into building a quality website that delivers on your small business goals. Contact us if you are looking for someone to help you with your website.
