A great website can be an invaluable asset to a small business. In today’s world, often if you are not on the internet, you are invisible to a large percentage of your potential customers. So, as a small business owner you must have a website. Not only should you have a website, you should have a great website. Here are 7 elements of a great website:
Visually appealing
A clean, uncluttered design will let your content shine. It is recommended that you use dark letters on a light background because this makes your content much easier to read. Use pictures and graphics wisely. Don’t clutter up your site with a lot of extra “pretties.”
Easy to navigate
Visitors to your website should be able to find information easily and without a lot of extra clicks. Navigation should be easy to understand and easy to use.
Informative
People who come to your website are looking for information. A great website is informative. It tells about you and your business. It makes what you do clear and uncomplicated. Take the time to make your content informative and easy to understand.
Up to date
Have you ever found exactly what you were looking for on the internet and then found out that the company website has not been updated in years and what you found is no longer available? How about websites that have “under construction” on pages for years. Lose the “under construction” signs. If you have a page that isn’t ready then just don’t publish it.
One of the best ways to keep your site up to date and fresh is to have a blog. Of course, if you have a blog, you need to keep it updated and fresh as well.
Search engine friendly
Don’t just guess about keywords. Do some research. Find out if people are actually searching for your keywords. Use your keywords (or phrases) wisely. Don’t go black hat and just repeat your words over and over. Make your content keyword rich and informative. Some time spent getting this element right is well worth the effort.
Loads fast
Make sure all of your graphics and pictures are optimized to load fast. People just won’t wait around for your site to load, so don’t make them. Back to the visually appealing aspect, if you don’t overload on the pictures, and the pictures you use are optimized, you are doing it right!
Clear calls to action
Don’t make your visitors wonder what you want them to do. Make it easy to contact you or call you or whatever it is you want them to do. Once someone makes up their mind to do business with you, don’t make them go searching for a way to contact you. Make it really clear and really easy.
These are just some of the elements that make up a great website. Your website is an important tool in your marketing arsenal. Make it the best it can be!
