Creating a Website for Your Small Business

Your firm's website is like its calling card to the world. For some entrepreneurs, it is one of the first steps they investigate when setting up their firm, alongside purchasing small business software and hiring an accountant.

Why create a website?

Your web page has the potential to extend its reach to potential customers across the country - and beyond. Even if your business does not offer online sales, it is likely that people in your area will turn to the web to see what bricks-and-mortar shops are available nearby.

Also remember that the lines of communication move in two directions. In addition to telling customers about your products and services, you can use your website to collect data about site visitors and gather feedback to improve customer service. You can use your findings in conjunction with your small business software to hone operations.

Define your audience

Getting customers to your website for an initial visit may be tough enough, but once they are there you want to ensure they will return again and again - and make a few purchases along the way.

That's why you want your page to be relevant to customers. In fact, you want it to speak to them in a way that helps you stand out from the rest of the competition and keeps them coming back for more.

In addition to characteristics that you may have already noted as part of your overall marketing plan - such as age, income level and location of customers - think about how and why your audience likes to shop. Consider these expectations when you are designing the visual aspect of your page, the tone of the writing and how the site is organized.

Provide interesting content

Adding content to your website achieves two goals - it boosts your visibility on search engines and entertains your readers. On the technical side, pages with fresh content are likely to be given priority by search engines such as Google, improving the chances that your website will rank well in search engine results and will be found and viewed by potential customers.

Meanwhile, since the main reason you've created a website is to engage with your audience, providing them with a hearty supply of interesting and relevant content will increase the chances they return to your page and even bookmark it.

Keep it fresh

Web content, like bread, is best when it's fresh. Not only do search engines take note of how often a site's content changes, but humans are more likely to return to a site that has something new to say on a regular basis.

Maintaining a blog, adding news articles and replenishing features are good ways to make sure your content is as fresh as can be.

Keep it organized

Once you know what type of content you will offer, make sure that people know where to find it. Online shoppers are accustomed to being able to scan a page quickly to determine what it has to offer and will not stick around if there is any confusion.

Utilizing headings and subheadings, bulleted lists, a Q&A style, and clearly defined categories will keep your site from appearing as a jumbled mess and help people find the information they are seeking.

Additionally, as your content changes, you'll have to keep on top of any updates that need to be made to internal links. Make sure your site map, table of contents and other organizational structure reflect new material accurately. You may also want to announce fresh content to readers via icons or create a devoted area on the site to draw their attention.

Have you got the look?

You don't have to invest a fortune to create a website that is pleasing to the eye. However, customers may be judging your product by its cover - in other words, they could be comparing the look of your page with your competitors to determine which one appears more trustworthy.

Most web design experts agree that people prefer a simple, uncluttered look when they go online. Too many links, colors, fonts and features can leave individuals feeling overwhelmed and cause them to click away. It's fine to get people's attention - but use icons, colors and pulled quotes sparingly for best effect.

Get products ready for their close-up

Perhaps the most important element that should look good is your products. If you sell anything that can be represented through a picture, the quality of the photograph can make or break the sale. Professional photography may seem expensive at first, but customers appreciate high-quality photographs and in the end your small business software will show the results in improved sales.

Appealing to a customer's emotions can also be effective. For example, if you sell outdoor items, featuring pictures of people using your backpacks and tents in a beautiful wilderness setting is bound to get people's imaginations fired up more than a plain white background.

Creating an effective website may require some thought and attention, but the rewards of developing a long-standing relationship with your customers make the effort worthwhile.