In today's world, having a great website is like having an incredible shop on the high street. It can bring in a lot of money for small businesses. Here's how to make your website work hard for you:
1. Make It Easy to Use
A good website should be simple and easy to use. Here's how to do it:
Easy to Navigate: Make sure people can find what they need without getting lost. Use clear menus at the top of your website with simple labels like "Home," "Products," "About Us," and "Contact." Keep your layout clean and uncluttered so visitors can easily find their way around.
Quick Loading: A slow website is frustrating. Keep things running smoothly by using smaller pictures and fewer special effects. Large images and fancy animations can slow down your site. You can use free online tools to compress images, making your site load faster.
Mobile-Friendly: Many people use their phones to browse the internet. Your website should look good and work well on phones and tablets. Choose a website template that automatically adjusts to different screen sizes. Most website builders offer mobile-friendly templates.
2. Help People Find Your Website (SEO)
To get more visitors, your website needs to appear in search results on Google. Here's how to do it:
Use the Right Words: Consider what words people might use to find your business. These are called keywords. Use these keywords in your website's text, titles, and descriptions. For example, if you run a bakery, use words like "fresh bread," "cakes," and "pastries."
Good Content: Write helpful, exciting articles that answer your customers' questions. This will make your site more attractive to visitors and search engines. For example, you could write a blog post about "How to Choose the Perfect Cake for Any Occasion."
Technical Details: Make sure each page has good titles and descriptions. These are the snippets of text that show up in search results. Use special tags, called meta tags, to help search engines understand your pictures and content. You can set these in your website builder's settings.
3. Turn Visitors into Customers
Once people visit your site, you want them to buy something or sign up for your services. Here's how to encourage them:
Clear Buttons: Use clear and inviting buttons that tell people what to do, like "Buy Now" or "Sign Up." These buttons should stand out with bright colours and be located where people can easily see them, such as at the top of your pages.
Special Pages: Create pages for special offers or events. These pages should focus on one thing to make it easy for visitors to decide. For example, if you're having a sale, create a page just for that sale with all the details and a big "Shop Now" button.
Simple Forms: Make it easy for people to give you their information. Ask for a little at a time. For example, if someone is signing up for a newsletter, ask for their email address. You can get more details later.
4. Use Data to Improve
To improve your website, you need to understand how people use it. Here's how:
Track Visitors: Use tools like Google Analytics to see how many people visit your site, where they come from, and what they do. This information can help you understand what's working and what's not.
Test Changes: Try different versions of your pages to see which ones work best. This is called A/B testing. For example, try two headlines on your homepage to see which one gets more clicks. Use free tools like Google Optimise to help with this.
5. Show Off Good Reviews
People trust other customers' opinions. Showcasing good reviews can help:
Customer Reviews: Display reviews from happy customers on your website. Customer reviews can make new visitors feel more confident about buying from you. You can ask your customers to leave reviews on your site or review platforms like Google and Yelp.
Success Stories: Share stories from satisfied clients to show how your business has helped others. Include pictures and quotes from these customers to make the stories more relatable and trustworthy.
6. Look Professional
A good-looking website makes a great impression. Here's how to achieve this:
Hire a Designer: If you can, hire a professional to design your website. They can make it look polished and trustworthy. A professional designer can also ensure your website is easy to use and matches your brand.
Consistent Style: Use the same colours, fonts, and style throughout your site. A consistent style makes your business look more professional and memorable. For example, if your logo is blue and white, use those colours in your headings and buttons.
Key takeaways
Turning your small business website into a money-making machine is easy if you know what to do. Make it easy to use, help people find it, encourage them to buy, use data to improve, show off good reviews, and make it look professional. Follow these steps, and your website will start bringing in more customers and more money.
Are you a small business looking for growth? I'm, Alex Barton, the creative director for Create2Convert and your dedicated partner in website design and creative excellence.
Access design expertise part-time, tailored to your needs and to work within your budget. No holidays, sick pay, benefits or NI to pay.
Call 01376 516686 or email me at alex@create2convert.co.uk today, and let's talk over a coffee about any ideas or challenges you are facing and maybe I can help.
