4 Keys to Effective Website Design for Small Businesses

The bar for websites is continuously rising. Your potential customers want a website that is visually attractive, simple to use, and contains high-quality information

While many small business owners still believe they simply need a presence online, they often find that having a website does little more than add to their monthly operating costs. If your website or online storefront isn't helping your business grow, it may be time to reevaluate the user experience and design a platform that truly connects with your target audience and drives buyer actions.
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4 Keys to an Effective Website for Small Businesses, Including Best Website Design Practices

1. Keep the Pages Clean

Readers must be able to quickly assemble information and then put it into context. If a site has too much info, it overloads the mind and doesn't stick. You should therefore opt for a balance of text and graphics to present clean and well-organized pages.

One way to simplify pages is by cutting social widgets, such as a Twitter feed that scrolls on your site. Also, ask yourself if all current elements add information your readers care about and need. If any other widgets, graphics, or text don't support the purpose of a particular page, remove them.

2. Ensure Pages Are Easy to Navigate

Just as you don't want to cram your page with information, you should similarly avoid a crowded menu. Limit your top-level navigation menu to just five clearly labeled tabs. Related pages should then be organized under these chief headers.


In addition, you want to provide a clear way to return to the homepage regardless of where your readers land. Companies often build a homepage link into their logo, and you should feel free to do the same. This ensures that even if Google takes your reader to a page other than home, they can easily navigate the entire website.

3. Place Contact Info Above the Fold

Most businesses rely on people being able to contact them. But if that information is hard to find or requires multiple clicks, your audience might grow frustrated and leave your site altogether. 

The best rule to follow is this: place contact info where it's highly visible, preferably at the top of the home page. Visitors who want to contact your brand can then quickly and easily do so. Likewise, if you use social media to connect with customers, include social links where they are most readily visible, such as the website header or footer.

4. Make Your Site Mobile Friendly

To be effective, your site must be mobile responsive. The average American adult spends more than five hours each day on their mobile phones, and more than one-third conduct all of their online shopping with a mobile device. This means that having a mobile website is necessary to provide a positive user experience. 

Without a mobile-friendly build, your audience may become frustrated and move instead to one of your competitors. A lack of mobile responsiveness can also negatively impact your site's search engine rankings, making it harder to find in a Google search.

What we've hit on here are some of the most basic elements of website best practices. You also need customer-driven content, a personalized about page, and rapid download speeds. For such an important piece of real estate, you can't afford to cut corners by only implementing certain components. That's why we're here: to ensure your site gets the attention it deserves - and converts leads into customers. Learn more by contacting Go Lead Consulting today.