Your website is often the first impression a potential customer has of your business. If your website looks outdated or unprofessional, it may be difficult to convince customers to trust you and do business with you.
A well-made website can help improve your credibility and give your customers a positive impression of your business. It’s also important to keep your website up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies, so that it looks professional and modern.
If you’re not sure how to improve your small business website, there are many online resources available that can help you get started. There are also many web design firms that can help you create a custom website for your business.
In the light of these, here are 20 tips to improve your small business website:
1. Use high-quality, professional images
Images are worth a thousand words, and this is especially true for websites. The images you use on your website should be high-quality and professional. If you’re using stock photos, make sure to choose images that are relevant to your business and products/services.
2. Adopt a responsive and mobile-friendly design
More and more people are using their smartphones and tablets to browse the web. If your website isn’t designed to be responsive, it may be difficult to view on smaller screens. Make sure your website can be easily viewed on all devices, including desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets.
3. Easy-to-read fonts
Custom or not, the fonts you use on your website should be easy to read. This is especially important for body text. Use fonts that are simple and easy to read, such as Arial or Times New Roman.
4. Use plenty of whitespaces
Whitespace is important for making your website easy to read and navigate. Use plenty of whitespace around images, text, and other elements on your website.
5. Use negative space
Negative space is the area around an element on a page. It’s important to use negative space effectively to draw attention to specific elements on your website.
6. Clear Calls-to-action
Calls-to-action (CTAs) are important for driving conversions on your website. A CTA is a button or link that encourages visitors to take a specific action, such as subscribing to your email list or making a purchase.
7. Use clear and concise text
The text on your website should be clear and concise. Use short sentences and paragraphs, and avoid using jargon or technical terms.
8. Use simple and straightforward navigation
Complicated navigation can be frustrating, your website’s navigation should be simple and easy to use. Visitors should be able to find what they’re looking for without difficulty.
9. Use social media buttons
Make it easy for visitors to connect with your business on social media by adding social media buttons to your website. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are some of the most popular social media platforms.
10. Web security
There are many reasons to add SSL for your small business website. The most important reason is that it creates a more secure connection for your customers. This means that their information is less likely to be stolen or compromised.
Adding SSL can also help increase your Google ranking, as it is considered a ranking factor by the search engine. Additionally, adding SSL can help improve your customer’s trust in your site and may lead to more conversions.
11. leverage search intent for your small business website
There are a few things you can do to make sure your small business website is targeting the right search intent. First, make sure your keywords are included in your website copy and that they’re also included in your title tags and meta descriptions.
You can also use Google’s Keyword Planner tool to identify relevant keywords that you might not have thought of. And finally, use Google’s AdWords platform to create targeted ads that will show up when people search for those keywords. By targeting the right search intent, you’ll be able to bring more traffic to your website and increase your chances of converting those visitors into customers.
11. Use Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a free tool that allows you to track your website’s traffic and performance. By adding Google Analytics to your website, you’ll be able to see how people are finding your site, what pages they’re spending the most time on, and where they’re coming from.
This information can be helpful in determining what changes you need to make to your website to improve your results. Additionally, Google Analytics can help you track your progress over time and see how your website is performing.
12. Use heatmaps
A heatmap is a visual representation of where people are clicking on your website. Heatmaps can be used to see what’s working well on your website and what needs to be improved.
There are a few different types of heatmaps, but the most common is the click heatmap. This type of heatmap will show you where people are clicking on your website. You can use a click heatmap to see which elements on your website are getting the most attention and which ones are being ignored.
13. Use A/B testing
A/B testing is a process of testing two or more versions of a web page to see which one performs better. A/B testing can be used to test anything on your website, from the headline to the call-to-action button.
By running A/B tests, you can identify what changes need to be made to your website to improve your results. Additionally, A/B testing can help you track your progress over time and see how your website is performing.
14. Improve on your Social proof
There are a few key ways that you can improve your social proof for your small business website. First, make sure that you have strong testimonials from happy customers.
These can be featured prominently on your homepage or in a dedicated testimonials section. Secondly, take advantage of social media by actively promoting your positive customer reviews and interactions on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Finally, display any industry awards or recognition you’ve received prominently on your site. By following these simple tips, you can encourage new visitors to trust and engage with your brand.
15. Lead capture
Yes, lead capture is more important now than ever for small businesses. One of the biggest challenges that small businesses face is getting their name out there and generating leads. However, with a well-designed lead capture system in place, you can start collecting contact information from potential customers and then follow up with them later to convert them into paying customers.
A good lead capture system should be easy to use and provide an incentive for people to give you their contact information. For example, you could offer a free ebook or white paper in exchange for someone’s email address. Or, you could give away a free consultation or discount on services in exchange for someone’s contact information. Whatever method you choose, make sure it’s something that will appeal to your target audience.
16. Fast Loading pages
If you’re a small business owner, then you know how important it is to have a fast-loading website. In today’s competitive market, customers expect quick and easy access to information, and if your site isn’t up to speed, they’ll likely move on to one of your rivals.
There are a number of ways to improve your site’s speed, including optimizing your images and using a content delivery network (CDN). Additionally, make sure your web hosting plan can handle the amount of traffic you’re getting; if not, upgrade to a more robust package. By taking these steps, you can ensure that your website loads quickly and efficiently for all visitors.
17. Content Marketing
Yes, content marketing is more important for small businesses. Why? Because small businesses have the opportunity to connect with customers on a more personal level, and create an intimate relationship with their target audience.
Large companies often rely on paid advertising to reach new customers, but this can be expensive and impersonal. Small businesses can stand out from the competition by creating high-quality content that is relevant to their target audience. This content can include blog posts, articles, infographics, videos, and even podcasts.
Creating valuable content is a great way to attract new customers and build loyalty among existing customers. Content marketing is a cost-effective way to reach your target audience, and it can produce long-term results.
18. Proper Internal linking
Internal linking is important for a number of reasons. First, it helps search engines crawl and index your website more effectively.
Second, it can help improve your website’s PageRank by passing link equity between pages on your site.
Third, it can help reduce bounce rates and increase the number of time visitors spend on your site. Fourth, it can make it easier for visitors to find related content on your site. And fifth, internal linking can improve the overall user experience of your website.
There are a few things to keep in mind when internally linking to pages on your website. First, make sure that you’re using keyword-rich anchor text so that links passing link equity can help improve your site’s rankings for those keywords. Second, don’t overdo it; too many links on a page can look spammy and hurt your chances of ranking well in search engines.
19. Local SEO
There are a few reasons why local SEO is important for your business website. First, Google gives preferential treatment to websites that are optimized for local search. This means that if you have a website and you optimize it for local search, you will be more likely to show up in the search engine results pages (SERPs) when people in your area are searching for keywords related to your business.
Second, local SEO can help improve your website’s visibility to potential customers. When you optimize your website for local search, you make it easier for people in your area to find your business online. This can lead to an increase in traffic and leads from potential customers.
20. Clearly Stated value propositions
Adding a value proposition to your small business website can be a great way to Stand out from the competition and attract new customers. Here’s how to do it:
1. First, define what makes your business unique. What do you offer that no one else does? This could be a unique product, service, or even just a different perspective.
2. Next, explain how your offering can benefit potential customers. What will they get out of using your product or service?
3. Finally, make it clear why customers should choose you over the competition. Why are you the best choice for them?
Keep in mind that your value proposition should be brief, clear, and easy to understand. It should be prominently featured on your website so that visitors can see it immediately.
