Switchfast Blog: The Future of IT
5 Most Overlooked Aspects of a Small Business Website
Monday, June 14, 2010 by Bryan Anderson
More than ever, small business owners have embraced the
opportunity to establish an online presence. Whether they start a
Wordpress blog, a Twitter account, or simply add themselves to
Yelp, getting your brand in the conversation is at the base of all
online marketing and advertising tactics.
The big challenge these days is establishing a consistent,
controlled web presence. Although social media has provided a new
avenue for client-company communication, a small business needs a
central hub where its clients or consumers can observe, learn, and
interact with the company and its services. No matter the size of a
business, a well-developed website will attract customers and
establish an elevated level of professionalism.
Websites can come in all shapes and forms. Small business can
sometimes forget that their design and layout affect interactions
with potential clients and can even send the wrong message. Here
are 5 website characteristics commonly overlooked by small business
owners looking to start a solid online business strategy:
Copywriting - The words you use and how you use
them. The distinction between what you want to say and how
it's actually received can be a difficult small business obstacle.
While you want to establish your company as a unique brand, you
also need to be clear in explaining your business strategy and
services. Site visitors will have a short attention span - make
sure your copy hits home with your overall purpose and their
inevitable benefit. Compare a website to an elevator ride - when a
potential client enters the elevator, what would you say in those
10 seconds to keep them interested or differentiate your
product?
Balance - Text vs. Audio vs. Graphics vs.
Video. Small businesses tend to have their copywriting do
all the talking, but a content-balanced website can draw out that
short attention span. For example, visitors may understand your
company through podcasts or internal messages or client
recommendation videos. Take advantage of any form of media that
effectively shows your company in an appropriate light instead of
relying heavily on text.
Contact Information - From "I'm interested" to "I'm
connected". In all the excitement of establishing a
website, small businesses forget that once the users are
interested, they need a way to reach you! With the surge of social
media, you can utilize several avenues including Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn, and personal blog sites. However, keep in mind this is a
method to stay connected and monitor your brand's image and
conversation. Having a "Contact Information" tab in clear view
should provide a name, a location, a phone number, and an email -
this way your audience can choose a method of contact that suits
them.
Website Navigation - Practical and Easy. Don't
be upset if your website isn't built with bright lights and
animation - this rarely improves the success of the website.
Instead, concentrate on the user experience. For example, make your
important tabs (Home, About Us, Our Work, and Contact Info)
distinguishable and highlight any parts of the website that deserve
more attention than others. A home page shouldn't be confusing to
users - this takes away from the positive experience. Instead, the
majority of your website users want to know the simple questions -
Who, What, Why? Make the answers to these questions easily
visible.
Strategic Purpose. Small business websites need
to be a serious investment with a solid business plan attached.
Unlike bigger companies, small companies have little room for
error. Building, maintaining, and promoting a website can be a big
venture, but done with the right insight and execution, it can
quickly accelerate the growth and quality of your services.
Until Next Time -
Matthew Hymel
Switchfast Technologies
Chicago IT Support &
Consulting
Rochester
IT Support & Consulting
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