Dos and Donts of Small Business Websites

Every small business should have a website. Even if your company has no connection to ecommerce, today’s buyers search the net before they shop for almost anything. The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project indicates that 78% of online users search for information about products and services prior to buying. This means most companies need to have an online presence, and that starts with a website.

There are three key facets that are essential to maintaining an effective online presence for any company: site design and layout, site content, and navigation. And there are some do’s and don’ts within each facet that small business owners should be aware of.

Design and Layout

Typically, not all the page content will appear in the browser when the page loads, so place the most important messages and images toward the top of the page. It only takes two seconds to lose a busy web surfer, so make sure headers and top content make an impact.

Avoid using generic clip art if you want a professional look. Clip art creates a cheap impression that reflects poorly on most companies, even if a company is great at what it does. Engage a graphics designer to create original images or search for images online that reflect the market(s) to be targeted or the company’s products or services.

Avoid using Flash presentations and animation if you want visitors to return regularly. Feature-rich Flash components can increase download times and often don’t provide significant commercial benefits over simple web pages.

Content

Website content consists of all the text, images, videos, and other material that is displayed on your site. Content should be used for two purposes: 1) to attract and inform visitors, and 2) to generate search engine rankings. The content should reflect the “physical” image of your company. Use existing logos, taglines, images, and other materials throughout your website.

Avoid using lengthy written content on every page. Visitors typically will not read every word, rather they skim the information for keywords or phrases they are interested in. Break up copy into easily digestible blocks that contain only what your customers need in order to make decisions.

Be certain to include keywords associated with your business in headers, image files, and written copy. This helps with rankings on search engines like Google, by showing relevance to what your customers’ are searching for.

Navigation

The way a visitor moves around your site is an important contributor to your company’s image. Include a site map so visitors can easily locate pages. A site map is also an essential component for search engine indexing. A search widget will also help with navigation; visitors can look for specific information relevant to their search within the company site.

It is important to include text links within the site’s copy. Even when menu links or image maps are located on the page, surfers may disable image display to speed download times; text links will still display under those conditions.
Don’t leave broken hyperlinks on your site. Broken links give an unprofessional appearance, which can translate to a lack of trust in your company. Have your site reviewed through different browsers to ensure link integrity.

When its complete, test your small business website to ensure that all the features, links, and design elements display properly. It may be helpful to have others review the site and share their experiences. Website building is not for everyone; small business owners who are not familiar with website design and functionality should visit our blog frequently for helpful tips and information.