Perhaps you have not yet created a website for the company, because you consider it, for example, an unnecessary expense. But seriously think about the issue of the site is worth it, because it can bring a lot of benefits to your business! In the case of the website, it doesn’t matter if your business is small or large. Having a website gives you tremendous opportunities that you should definitely take advantage of. So, what are the benefits of having a website for a small business?
The presentation of the offer is one of the most important pieces of information for every recipient looking for that product or service. Therefore, putting the details of the offer on your website will make it easier for the recipient to get to know it and increase your credibility. Because of the lack of easy access to your offer, you will only lose a possible influx of new customers.
Generate leads – through contact forms or newsletter signups, you will start to build up your potential customers’ contact base faster. You’ll be able to reach them quickly, and you’ll have an easier time convincing them to take advantage of your offer.
Increased business reach – Starting an online business gives you access to new forms of promotion and a larger group of visitors. By doing so, you can gradually increase your company’s visibility by acquiring new customers.
These, of course, are just a few of the many benefits you’ll get after creating a website for your business.
The perfect website for a small business – how to create one?
A small business website should effectively present an offer so that as many people as possible can take advantage of it. But what exactly should such a site look like and what should it contain to be profitable and effective? It’s worth starting at the beginning.
Set goals for your site
Setting goals for your site from the start will make it easier for you to make decisions in the next steps of building it. What’s the best way to define them? Look at the industry you’re in and your offering. Think about what will be the most important goal for you?
Let’s say you have a boutique. It’s a small store in a medium-sized city with a few regular customers. On the one hand, these customers provide you with a steady income; on the other hand, you want to increase sales and reach a larger group of recipients. You have decided to create an online store for a small business – what goals should your website have in this situation? The main goal will undoubtedly be to turn potential customers into those who will benefit from your offer. However, this is not possible without attracting traffic to your site. People must first find you and be interested in your offer. Without it, you won’t achieve your main goal of high conversions (in this case, sales).
Once you set clear goals for your website, it will be much easier for you to plan your next steps in building your website. You will know that you should focus on making your website easy to find, presenting its offerings well and having everything you need for an online store (such as a photo gallery or different payment methods).
Website goals for small businesses:
Earning credibility is by far the most important goal of any website for micro, small and medium-sized companies. A small business website is proof that it exists and functions in the marketplace. But just having a corporate website is not enough. People who visit it should get the impression that they are dealing with professionals and should consider using their services. Trust will allow you to acquire new clients without having to engage in advertising activities. When you build it – you will also be able to get higher margins than your competitors and deliver projects efficiently – when clients feel that they have entrusted the work in good hands, they will not get in the way of your projects.
Be found – through your company’s website, users will know that your business exists. For example, you can reach a new group of clients or acquire business partners.
Providing information – the site should state what you do and what problems you solve, who you are, how to find you, contact you or place an order. Basic information is necessary because users need to understand what you do in order for someone to take advantage of your offer. By providing all the information they need, you also benefit from saving time: once customers know everything they need to know, you won’t have to waste time answering their questions.
Training . Your website should give users the opportunity to learn more about your products/services. You can post valuable content on your blog, organize webinars, offer e-books for download – think about what form of communication is right for your target group.
Attractiveness – The website should be built in such a way that as many people as possible decide to submit a request for proposal, fill out a contact form on the website, or sign up for a visit.
Make your website user-friendly
You want your customers to be happy with your services. They should feel like they picked the right person and that you’re getting them for what they pay. Likewise, you should want everyone who visits your site to feel confident in it. So that they can use it comfortably and efficiently find what they are looking for. Your job is to make it as easy as possible. To do this, make sure that your company website has the following features
Adapt your site for different devices
The days of viewing websites only on computers are long gone, so you need a website that users will be comfortable using from a cell phone or tablet. The pace of life is getting faster and faster, and many people are looking for interesting offers at work, at home, on the bus or train. That’s why you need a website that you can browse in a variety of circumstances.
Create intuitive navigation
You already know that your site needs to be easy to use. A well-designed and thoughtful navigation should also serve this purpose. Its mainstay is the menu visible on the page, but the navigation should also be placed in the footer. The use of tile navigation and the so-called hamburger is also popular.
What pages should a small business website contain?
Typical subpages for small businesses are Home Page, Offer (Goods, Services), About Us (About Company, Team), Portfolio (Projects), Price List and Contacts. However, this does not mean that these are the tabs that should be included in your Menu.
Look at your competitors’ websites and think about which subpages are relevant to your industry. For example, in the case of restaurants it would be Menu, and in the case of hotels it would be Rooms. Think about what might attract your customers and what your competitors rarely do. A subpage of tourist attractions will certainly be very encouraging if you are running a guesthouse.
Before you design your navigation, be sure to think about what content your site should contain to convince potential customers to use your company’s offerings effectively. The content should form a cohesive story, leading the potential customer from first hearing about your company, through getting to know its offer, the value you offer, the way you bring it to purchase, i.e. turning a potential customer into a real customer. !
Why is a menu on a website important?
The purpose of the menu is to show the content of the page, or at least its most important elements. Its purpose is to provide quick access to the most important information on your website and provide easy navigation and return to the home page. It is common to place a clickable company logo in the menu, which leads users to the home page. Small business websites tend to have horizontal menus, but you can also find vertical menus.
If you design your site navigation well, users will spend a lot of time on your site, which is something you care about. You want users to visit the different tabs on your website, learn about your offer or pricing, and be convinced to use your services. Longer time spent on your website also means better positioning in search results.
Your site is not only used by your potential customers, but also by Google robots. The better the menu structure and linking on your site, the better it will be ranked by them, and the higher your position will be in search results. To summarize: good navigation effectively supports positioning.