Living and working in the modern Age of Information has its perks. Almost everything in our daily life is handled by technology and the Internet. Your small business is no different.
To keep up with the trends of our time, you need to make sure you have a functioning, engaging website. There are many reasons to take this seriously.
In fact, at least 65% of people trust the information they find online. This means your business definitely needs a proper website.
Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about your small business web development. These five best practices will surely enhance your brand’s online presence.
Make Your Website Mobile Friendly with a Responsive Design
The majority of your customers have smartphones, which means you need to make sure your website is easy to access on those devices. Such a design using mobile-friendly practices is called “responsive.”
The first thing you need to think about is what kinds of software mobile devices don’t allow. For example, avoid using anything from Flash, since mobile users will not be able to access it.
Responsive small business web development considers the entire experience of each user — including mobile users. Make sure the font size of each website page is large enough to be seen from a phone screen. This means you probably shouldn’t have too many words – keep your content concise and simple.
If any of your web pages have links for a user to click, make sure they aren’t all too concentrated in one specific area of content. Consider how difficult it can be to click super small links that are all close together.
In general, a responsive design for each of your web pages should not be too crowded or overloaded with content. Before you launch your business’s website, check to make sure each feature is taken care of on a mobile device. Your users will be thankful, and therefore more likely to trust your brand and business.
Your Website Design Should Be Simple and Express Your Brand
Speaking of a simple website design, even non-mobile users should be able to navigate quickly and easily throughout your business’s website. This is usually called the website “architecture” and can be the difference between a frustrating or a pleasant user experience.
For example, the contact information of your business should be only one click away from the site’s homepage. There’s no need to have it hidden away on a different page. In fact, all of your website’s most important information should be clearly accessible from the homepage.
Make sure you express your brand as much as possible, too. If you don’t have a logo yet, get one. This logo should be featured on each of your web pages.
Your brand should be a part of even the color scheme and font choice. Your website is your best opportunity to show potential customers the values and promises your business can deliver.
For each web page, make sure you don’t have too many words. Most users don’t want to have to read through a lot of text to reach a simple concept.
Use pictures or videos to break up the text. Users always appreciate a web page with plenty of multimedia used. Small business web development focuses on the user’s experience, so make your entire website easy and compelling to use.
Content Should Utilize Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
When it comes to your content, it should be more than simple and concise. The content throughout your business’s website should utilize SEO so that it can be found on the Internet quickly by inquiring users.
In fact, 91% of Internet users use search engines to find information or businesses online. Make sure your business can be found with high-quality SEO content.
SEO is practiced by using keywords that web developers expect users to enter into the search engines. The are plenty of online tools to help you come up with the most likely keywords for your business. Once you have a list of the best ones, you’ll need to incorporate them throughout your website.
This doesn’t only mean the site’s content itself. Keywords can and should be embedded into the headings, title tags (in HTML code), and even the URL itself. Once your website content has been developed using SEO, you can further enhance your reach on the search engine with social media.
If you don’t make sure your website has proper SEO, potential customers won’t be able to find your business’s website in the first place!
Make Sure Your Website Has All the Right Applications
Fortunately, there are plenty of online applications that can seriously boost your small business web development. Applications are tools that make certain online functions easier to manage.
Examples of apps that your business might need on its website include social media buttons, e-commerce capabilities, or some kind of custom-built database. Whatever kind of web applications your business needs, make sure they are of the best quality.
You don’t want to install random apps on your website that might not function or slow down the page loading time. Only install trusted applications after doing thorough research and checking reviews of each one.
Applications also make mobile users’ experiences easier. Instead of having to click several times, using an application can cut down the amount of time it takes to carry out one simple function like a social media post.
Outsource Your Small Business Web Development
No matter what, it’s important to take your small business web development seriously so that online users trust your brand. Your brand’s online presence is crucial to keep up with any industry in the modern day.
Web development can include a lot of work, so the last best practice for you to consider is outsourcing the work. High-quality web development services like ours are available to ensure your website is sophisticated and user-friendly.
We know how important it is to have the best website for your business. Trust us to handle all of your website’s details by reaching out to us online today.
