As a small business owner, you’re most likely aware at this point that you need a website to succeed and build your business. If you aren’t aware of this, then I have a tip for you. You need a website to succeed in 2019. Every type of business has competition and with the way technology is going, most and more websites are popping up every day which is making it harder for your website to stand out. Consumer behavior adapts to the current technology and that is what’s shaping how we advertise our businesses. A perfect example of this is the Yellow Pages. As more and more households began to use the telephone directory to find local products and services, business owners realized advertising in it was necessary for people to find their business. Advertising in the Yellow Pages was the standard operating procedure for most businesses. It made perfect sense since the majority of households used the directory on a daily basis. Then came the world wide web and a new disruption to the commercial status. As more and more consumers realized they could find what they needed online faster and more effectively than a phone book, behavior shifted away from using the printed directory and now it’s close to impossible to find a copy of The Yellow Book. Not staying updated with the current can ruin a business and the same goes for the functionality and website design.
Small businesses can’t expect that just having a website will give them a competitive edge. Now, small business websites need to accomplish more than just being a placeholder. They need to provide value to customers. If you’re looking to up your website game, here’s 5 things successful small business websites need to do to rise above the competition.
Mobile Responsiveness
Responsive web design has been an essential part of website design for several years. Responsive web design will make your website mobile-friendly by improving how it looks on devices with both large and small screens and will increase the time visitors spend viewing your website. We live in a society where most people have a smartphone in their pocket and because of this, it is important for your website to be easily viewable on their device. Responsive web design stats show that it’s wise to appeal to both desktop and mobile viewers. In fact, the number of mobile viewers now outnumbers desktop. This number will continue to rise as global smartphone accessibility continues to increase.
Regularly Updated Content
One of the biggest game changers in recent years is the increasing importance of quality and relevant website content. Search engines like Google and Bing have become content hungry machines and are looking for long quality content. Fresh and new content will help you show up on the radar of search engines a lot faster than other methods, and keeping a regular blog is one way of increasing your authority in your industry. Increasing your ranking in search engines is extremely important because that helps people find your website before your competitor.
High-Quality Images
Useful, high-quality images will attract more visitors to your site by increasing your site’s SEO value and decreasing your website’s bounce rate. But did you know that your site’s increased user engagement can also result in longer visit times for users, allowing you more time to sell your product through both the content and the images? To better help improve lead conversion, you’ll want users to hang out on your website as long as possible. Your images help to tell the story of your business and explain the services your business offers by providing easy to understand information that pleasant to look at.
Social Media Integration
Small businesses can gain a lot and really improve their web presence by integrating with social media. Not only do social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram serve as general hangouts, they also provide your business with opportunities to spread its message and connect with your targeted audience. Now when most people think about social media integration they think about share buttons on blog posts. That is an important part but it doesn’t just have to be blog posts that can get shared. Other options are integrating your social media feed to your home page, adding those share buttons to other pages like your services or products, and adding follow and like buttons to the footer of your website. Ultimately, social media integration in website design is about getting customers involved in your content.
Eye-Catching Design
Choosing the appropriate color combinations and layout for your website are the most important aspects when it comes to your website. Choosing the correct colors and layout has the ability to generate a positive impact on potential customers and as a result, make the visitor stay longer. Like we discussed before, getting your website visitors to stay longer increases your chances of converting visitors into customers. Creating a website visually appealing is one of the most important things for your website because if your website is ugly or uses conflicting colors, it will deter visitors and potentially send those potential leads to your competitor.
Now that you know why just having a website isn’t enough for your business, let the AD Leaf Marketing Firm help your company get on track by redesigning your website! We will collaborate with you to cultivate your unique brand, improve your internet presence, exposure, and client base. For more information about the benefits of website design in Melbourne FL and anywhere else, contact us today at info@theadleaf.com or give us a call at 321-255-0900.
