What does your small business website need?

If you run a small business in 2021, you know doubt understand the power of the internet when it comes to attracting new customers and connecting with existing ones. However, even now, there are many small business websites out there which are sadly lacking in the kinds of information or features people are looking for. This is especially true if you're hoping to generate interest from people in your area searching for the goods or services you provide. Having a great website is the perfect introduction.

Even as you branch out into social media and try to engage with people that way, you should be using social to funnel people to your site, and your site to direct people to social. With that in mind, if you want to make the most of your opportunities to build your customer base, you'll need the following features on your webpage:

1) A simple URL

At this point, a lot of the best URLs are taken, but if you run a company named Smith's Widgets and you're based in suburban Chicago, you can use that basic information to keep your web address short and memorable, according to Entrepreneur magazine. Something like SmithsWidgets.com or ChicagoWidgets.com will establish you properly, without the need for people to remember a lengthy URL like SmithsWidgetsOfChicago.com.

Is your company's website making the right introduction for the business?

2) No clutter

There are entirely too many small business websites these days that have all kinds of pop-ups or that don't make it easy for people to know where they should be clicking or scrolling, Entrepreneur said. You should aim to make your website so simple to use a child can navigate it easily, with straightforward links and basic information listed right on the homepage.

3) All the basic information you can provide

When it comes to that information, it should be all about being easy to reach, according to Web Strategy Plus. Give people your address, phone number, a customer-contact email address, social links, hours of operation and anything else that feels pertinent.

4) A straightforward presentation of your business proposition

Sticking with the Smith's Widgets example, simply state some basic facts about what your company does and what sets it apart, Web Strategy Plus added. Saying something like, "At Smith's Wdigets, we've been providing top-quality widgets to the Chicago area for more than 50 years," or whatever the case may be, should be sufficient for that general introduction.

5) A page with more in-depth information about your offerings

Once you've established what you bring to the table, consider offering people the chance to dive deeper into the goods or services you provide, according to Digital. Product or service pages that spell out what you offer, what they cost, and why they're the best in your area could help to really sell people on what you do as a business.

6) Real testimonials

Of course, you shouldn't expect people to take your word for it when it comes to how good your business is, Digital noted. That's where testimonials from happy customers, long-time clients and so on can really help sell newcomers on everything you have to offer. These can be presented as text or video, but as long as they feel authentic and honest, they're worth highlighting. 

7) High-quality photos and/or videos

Speaking of video, there are plenty of schools of thought about what you should or shouldn't include on your site in terms of multimedia, but one thing is universally agreed: It needs to look fantastic, according to Web FX. When you use low-res photos, video that was clearly shot on a smartphone, or just something that doesn't quite look professional, that can be a strong turnoff for many website visitors. You might even find that hiring a professional photographer to help with your site is an expense that pays for itself.

While every small business needs a website that features all of the above — at a minimum — it's also important to have great legal representation as your company evolves. Get in touch with the professionals at the Law Offices of Donald W. Hudspeth, P.C., today to learn more about how to fully set yourself up for success in your growing venture.

Categorised in: Starting a Business in Arizona

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