Did you know that it takes only 50 milliseconds for visitors to form an opinion about your website? First impressions matter, whether they are about aesthetics, usability, or content, especially in today's fast-paced digital world.
If you own a small to medium-sized business (SMB), chances are you don't have an unlimited budget to create the best website on the planet. However, this does not rule out the possibility of your website's success. Indeed, with the right design and functionality, your website has the potential to propel your company forward by increasing leads, converters, and sales.
With this in mind, we've compiled a list of ten things SMBs should keep in mind when designing a website, so you can create one that's not only visually appealing but also user-friendly and effective in driving results.
Maintain a simple and clean web design.
A cluttered environment will only confuse and overwhelm your visitors. Keep your design simple, clean, as well as well-organized so that users can easily find what they're going to look for on your website. Also, try to use whitespace to break up information and make it more digestible for your visitors.
Make sure your website is simple to use.
As a business, it's critical to look for ways to enhance the customer experience at every touchpoint, including your website. Making your site easy to navigate is one of the best ways to ensure a consistent experience for your website visitors.
After all, if users are constantly getting lost on your website and fumbling around your pages, they are more likely to leave and go elsewhere.
As a result, your navigation should be intuitive and logical so that users can easily navigate your website without difficulty. This may be accomplished through the use of a simple navigation bar with drop-down menus for subcategories, or through the use of sidebar navigation.
Use high-quality graphics and images.
Poor-quality images will only make your website appear amateurish. High-quality images and graphics, on the other hand, can help you convey your message more effectively and add a personal touch to your website.
As a result, when selecting images for your website, use high-resolution photos that are relevant to your business. Infographics, illustrations, and videos can also be used to break up text and add visual interest to your website.
Take note of web accessibility.
There has been a growing emphasis in recent years on web accessibility, which refers to the practice of making websites accessible to people with disabilities. This can include things like making your site navigable with only a keyboard, adding alt text to images, and more.
You can use accessiBe's accessScan web accessibility checker to see how your website compares to various standards and guidelines. The free tool will scan your site for accessibility issues and provide you with an easy-to-read report outlining the areas where you should take corrective action to improve your site. It's as easy as typing in your URL.
Make use of typography to your advantage.
Because your font choice can say a lot about your brand, it's critical to select a typeface that matches the image you want to project. A more playful font, for example, might be better suited for a child-friendly website, whereas a more sophisticated font would be better suited for a luxury brand.
Aside from choosing the right font, you should also consider line height, letter spacing, and font size. These elements can help to improve the legibility and readability of your text, which is especially important for longer blocks of text.
Maintain brand consistency.
Because your website should be an extension of your brand, it's critical that your branding is consistent across all touchpoints. This entails using the same logo, colors, and style as before.
Use the same language on your website that you do in your other marketing materials.
Consistency in branding will help to strengthen your brand identity and make it more recognizable to your target audience. It will also improve the coherence and effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
Mobile optimization
Did you know that when a website is optimized for mobile, 74% of visitors are more likely to return?
With more people accessing the internet via smartphones and other mobile devices, it's critical that your website is optimized for these users. This includes ensuring that your site is responsive so that it can be viewed on a smaller screen and that all of your content is accessible and easy to use on a mobile device.
To see how your website compares, use Google's Mobile-Friendly Test tool. Simply enter your URL, and the tool will determine whether your page is mobile-friendly.
Keep your content current and fresh.
Your website should be a living, breathing entity that evolves in response to the needs of your audience. This entails adding new and relevant content to your site on a regular basis, whether in the form of blog posts, new products, or updated information.
This will not only keep your audience engaged, but it will also improve your search engine rankings and make your site more visible to potential customers.
Use call-to-action (CTA) buttons to entice visitors to take action.
Your website should be designed with a specific goal in mind, such as lead generation or sales generation. Whatever your goal, include call-to-actions (CTAs) on your website to encourage visitors to take the desired action.
Your CTAs should be clear, concise, and visible, and they should direct visitors to a landing page where they can proceed. If you want to generate leads, for example, your CTA could say "Sign up for our newsletter" and lead to a subscription form.
Finally, keep in mind that your website is never truly "finished." There will always be new things to experiment with and improve on. Whether it's A/B testing your CTAs, checking your site's accessibility on a regular basis, or experimenting with new design elements, maintaining a test-and-learn mindset is critical to ensuring that your website is always performing at its best.
Last but not least
In the hyper-competitive world of online business, having a well-designed and conversion-optimized website is critical if you want your SMB to succeed. By following the tips and best practices outlined in this article, you will be well on your way to developing a high-performing website that will help you stand out from the crowd and attract more customers.