Design is one of the most important elements when it comes to leveraging your business’ website’s potential. It goes without saying that a professionally designed site with engaging features will generate more business than an outdated, unengaging one. As a small business owner, your web presence is one of the greatest assets you have in reaching your target clientele and closing sales with prospective customers. Don’t waste the opportunity to make a great impression on website visitors who might turn into clients. If you want to take full advantage of every click, you should focus on design.
Small business websites often do not look as flashy and impressive as their corporate competitors’ sites, but design is not always about being impressive. For small businesses, the focus should be on creating design that is effective. The following are four tips for doing exactly that and getting the most out of your small business’ web presence.
Creative Color Scheme
Websites are inherently visual, and when customers log on, they will want to be greeted by a sight—no pun intended—that is welcoming and easy to navigate. If a customer walked into a store that was drab, disheveled and dark, they likely would not stay long enough to make a purchase. If they walk into a store that is well-lit, energetic and clean, on the other hand, they are likely to stay long enough to actually buy something. Your website is the same. Choose a color scheme for your business’ site that is both creative and welcoming.
Logical Organization
In addition to looking nice, your website should be easily navigable. This means you should organize its menus and information in a logical and accessible way. Just as you would not try to include all of your business’ products and services on your business card, do not simply dump information on the page and expect customers to parse through it. Utilize a template or professional design to organize the content of your website in a logical manner. Locate navigation links at the top of the page under a header and include contact information on every page of your website.
Visual Components
The color scheme of your website is not the only element that should cater to its visual potential. With a website, you have an open canvas to create whatever you want and show customers exactly why your business is the best. Don’t pass up the opportunity to include photos and videos on the site that will deepen visitors’ engagement and impart the value that you offer to clientele. There are many ways to create simple yet engaging video content, for example, that customers can both view and share for greater exposure. Add this to a professional site for great results.
Device-Adaptive Design
Over the past decade, design has been complicated by the onslaught of internet-capable devices flooding the market. Customers are no longer visiting small business websites exclusively on laptops and desktop computers. Many, if not most, clients will be browsing on mobile devices such as tablets and phones. What does this mean for small businesses looking to create effectively designed websites? Simple HTML is no longer enough to accomplish this. If you want to ensure you are reaching every potential client and making the best impression with your website, invest in device-adaptive design. This makes your site accessible on any device.
Designing an engaging and effective website is not always easy if you are a small business owner with limited knowledge of web design and development. There are a number of options to invest in professional design and ensure that your web presence is garnering your business the attention it deserves.