Meta-description: Not sure if you need a website? Continue reading to learn why websites for small businesses are a must, how to build them, and what makes a good website.
One of the first few things you need to have to establish a business is having a website. Having a website means you have something concrete to show. You have an online presence that can’t be dismissed. However, one of the most common questions we come across is if websites for small businesses are necessary.
Continue reading if you are a small business owner weighing the pros and cons of having a website, and how to go about it. The answers to all your questions are right here.
What do you need a website for?
There are different types of websites one could want for their business. Here are some of them:
- Static Website – It is simple and aims to spread information. It is suitable for local retail stores and service providers, law firms, non-governmental organizations, and those who require minimal updates.
- E-commerce Website – is suitable for selling products and services.
- Blog/Content Website – Focuses on providing valuable information. Mainly relevant to psychologists, therapists and coaches.
- Portfolio Website – Ideal for photographers, graphic designers, content writers, and artists who want to showcase their work in a clear, visually appealing manner.
The Why of Websites for Small Businesses:
There are a lot of reasons that website development for small businesses is essential.
Here are some of the reasons why small businesses need a website:
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- It Builds Credibility
In a world where frauds are more common than we’d think, having a website provides credibility to your business. It gives solid proof of the work you do and acts as a testimonial to your audience.
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- It Helps you Reach a Broader audience
A website is specifically helpful for service-based brands. It breaks the need to search for local clients and aids in reaching customers across the world.
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- 24/7 Accessibility
A website is available 24/7 unlike any other marketing and communication means like an Instagram handle, Facebook page, or a WhatsApp number. Your website answers potential clients outside of working hours so you could be making money while you sleep.
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- Gives an Edge Over Others
A website does not show the number of followers like Instagram or the number of views like YouTube. So, with a well-designed website, you could have as much chance as a larger business to score a client.
How to go About a Website for Small Businesses:
If you’re a newbie to the world of creating websites, here is what you need to do to build one.
- You need to register a domain name. The simpler, the easier to remember, the better.
- Selecting a reliable web hosting service.
- Designing the website such that it is user-friendly and best reflects your brand identity.
- Now comes the content. Add all the relevant information on pages like the Landing Page, Homepage, About Us, Services/Products, Contact Information, and Blog (if needed).
A Word on Design Best Practices:
Ever opened a website and immediately exited it because it was too bright, blingy and chaotic? Yes, avoid that.
Choose a simple, intuitive design that’s welcoming and looks good to the eye.
But plain doesn’t mean boring. A website professional who knows his work can sprinkle your brand identity into a seemingly simple website.
Moreover, they would also know how to create the best navigation, and quickest load time, and optimize your website for mobile users to get the highest engagement and conversions.
For this, you can reach out to Creaxa. Our experts up the website game like no other. One consultation, and you will agree.
The Importance of SEO:
Your business is for humans, but you can’t ignore the search engine. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a key feature of every website.
You ignore it, and you’re at the risk of being ignored by the search engine.
You strengthen your SEO strategies such as keyword research, meta tags, and creating quality content that the users are searching for, you’re likely to rank higher on search engines and be found by potential customers.
Now coming to the dilemma that many small businesses have: custom websites vs website builders?
To Choose Custom Websites or Website Builders?
To choose a professionally designed website or to do DIY? The dilemma of custom websites vs website builders.
Both have their pros and cons, you just need to assess which one checks your list of requirements.
DIY website builders like WIX and Squarespace are affordable, quick and offer decent customizations for your website.
However, a professionally made website would generally offer more customization, take more time but deliver exactly what you want, and could be more expensive than a DIY website builder.
Your website reflects your vision and is the face of your brand. So, if you have the money for it, we suggest that you invest it in professional website-building services.
What Not To Do
Small businesses have a lot of pressure to quickly start making a profit on meager resources. Often, this leads to making a website but not being able to do the best job at building and maintaining it.
We have made a list of the common mistakes that small business websites make so you make sure you are not making one of these:
1. Lack of Clear Purpose :
How often have you opened a website and struggled to find what that business does? This is definitely what you must avoid.
Your homepage should clearly and effectively communicate what services you provide and how you can help the visitor.
What to do: Add less text on the homepage, but make every word count. Have a clear headline that explains your business and value offering. Add a memorable tagline.
2. Not Mobile-friendly:
Most people are surfing the internet on their phones these days. So not ensuring that you have a mobile-friendly website means slower load times, weird navigation, and higher bounce rates.
To avoid that: Use a responsive website design that works well on mobile devices.
If you don’t know how to do this, get professional website services for small businesses to help you with that.
3. Slow Load Times:
What happens when you click a website and it takes forever to load? You just exit and never come back. This is what happens when the website load time is more than a few seconds.
To avoid having higher bounce rates: websites for small businesses should optimize images and avoid using heavy media files, and extra plugins and scripts.
If you are new to this, look up affordable website services for small businesses to help you make a great website.
4. Lack of Clear Call to Action:
Small businesses are too shy to add clear CTAs. If you want that email address or make that sale, you need to tell the visitor clearly about what action they need to take.
Add precise CTAs like Shop Now, Contact US, and Buy Now.
Don’t wait until the end of the page to add CTAs. Sprinkle them throughout, encouraging the visitor to take the desired action.
5. Overlooking SEO:
Overlooking SEO is like setting up a beautiful store but not telling anyone where it is. How will your audience find your website if you don’t give them the proper directions? The better you incorporate basic SEO practices, the easier it will be for search engines to rank them, and the easier it will be for people to come across your website.
So, if you want to increase the organic search of your website, make sure to up your SEO game. Use on-page SEO practices which include optimizing meta descriptions, title tags, alt-text, and headers.
6. Using Poor Quality Images:
Irrelevant, blurry, low-quality, stocky images are bound to get your brand perception down.
So, use high-quality images that are relevant to your products and services if you don’t want the visitors to question your credibility.
7. Not adding testimonials:
Not having social proof or testimonials on your website makes the visitors question your trustworthiness. So, add proof of your previous work to avoid skepticism.
Add as many testimonials as possible. Add reviews/customer feedback to product pages.
8. Outdated Information :
Won’t you hate it if you visit a website and all you see are out-of-stock items, services with revised prices, or incorrect contact information? Make sure that you regularly update your website so that it continues to appear professional. It also helps with SEO rankings.
Business owners are skeptical about building a website, questioning whether they really need one if they are already present on other social media platforms.
While the initial cost may seem like a heavy chunk, they need to realize that websites for small businesses is a huge investment they make.
A website adds credibility to your business like nothing else. It builds an online presence, gets you diverse customers, and helps your businesses grow.
Moreover, it becomes a cost-effective marketing strategy in the long run. You can get phenomenal results by running digital campaigns, pay-per-click and social media ads that garner incredible direct traffic to your site. Later, you could do affiliate marketing, which means your website could be making money 24/7.
If you want someone to take over your website creation and optimisation, contact Creaxa and get the load off your shoulders.