Why Websites Matter
With a website, small businesses don’t need to rely solely on local reach and visibility along with word-of-mouth sales for growth. Don’t leave your business growth to sheer luck. Showcasing your brand on a website is an effective method to reach your audience with your message and value proposition even in fluctuating market conditions.
If you are a small business, prioritize building a professionally designed website. Consider these tips to get started:
Keep it Simple!
Purchase a domain name that is short, easy to spell, and memorable. Make sure your domain name is SEO-friendly, which means it is optimized for search engines. SEO can help your site rank higher than your competition on relevant searches.
Your website must be easy to navigate. Consider the purpose of your site and how your audience will use it. Create pages relevant to your specific small business like – About Us, Products and Services (with visually appealing imagery), Contact Us, Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and other needed pages and sections.
Imagery is important, especially for businesses focused on outdoor recreation. Consider custom photography instead of stock images to stand out from the rest.
Once you are ready with the design, it’s time to focus on content. Strategize your content calendar and create quality content that hooks the readers.
Continually Improve your SEO
Ideally, you want to optimize your website so that it lands on the first page of search engine results. Ensure your website is mobile friendly and optimized with the right keywords for your industry. Consider creating your website with mobile-first intent since most users engage with websites with mobile devices.
Engage your audience with creative content, and credible internal links and high-quality backlinks. Your website must have a proper maintenance plan as well. Dead links, incorrect URL addresses, and 404 errors are common issues that can drive away your audience and hurt SEO. One mistake is enough to lose retention and engagement. Enhance your website visibility so that you can drive leads and convert them.
Install Webmaster Tools
Install Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your website metrics. Some key metrics you will want to track are the source of your traffic, visitor count, abandonment rate and cause, as well as technical glitches. Once you get detailed information, work on the weak points and woo your customers. These key metrics will help drive future design of your site further enhancing engagement and retention.
Hire somebody to help you out if needed, and get your small business online today!
