Why is a website important for a small business?

Website Design Importance In Small Businesses

The impact a website can have on a small business is comparable to any physical store front. Its appearance, accessibility, and layout all influence your potential clientele. It is imperative that a small business’s website look inviting, be easy to use, and easy to find.

To gain perspective of the importance of appearance, imagine somebody is searching their town for a clothing store. If they come across two stores, one of which has dusty windows, a broken, flashing neon sign, and only accessible through and alley and over an un-even, cracked walkway, or, a second store with a fresh paint job, large, open parking lot, and a clear, concise sign, the consumer would be most inclined to shop at the second location. Websites are no exception.

Upon clicking on a small business’s website, customers will gauge their impression by how the site looks. Businesses must make it clear what they offer, provide high quality pictures showing what their products or facilities look like, and have a clean, easy to read content section. A customer is more inclined to use a company’s services if they feel it is run professionally. This is demonstrated through a well organized website with an inviting layout. If there is any difficulty or discomfort that comes from trying to view a page, professionality is not being conveyed.

A website looking great is only the first step. The next, and arguably more important part of the small business’s website, is to ensure that it is functional and easy to navigate. Create sections for clients to contact the business, write a description of the services offered, answer any common questions, and, if appropriate for the service being offered, provide a variety of images displaying the products. A slideshow can easily be incorporated into most web layouts. Ensure the site runs smoothly and flows well. Glitches, problems, and lack of working content can drive off consumers.

The biggest aspect of online marketing is exposure. Businesses want to be known and easy to find. A website’s title should clearly state the business’s name and what type of business they are. In addition, it is important to make the website easy to find. The web domain (the address of the website, for example www.*business title*.com) should relate to the name of the small business or the service it provides. Put the web address on business cards, store fronts, flyers, posters, and anywhere that clients might come across and remember it.

According to the PR firm Segal Communications, social media is an especially useful tool for connecting clients to your website. Websites and applications, such as Twitter and Facebook, are in constant use by millions of individuals, every day. By linking your website to these social media websites, you can further increase traffic to your website and, in turn, to your business. These social media platforms can also be incorporated into any website, meaning that if a viewer has a Twitter or Facebook account, they can “follow” your business, which then becomes visible to all their friends and followers.

Need help with your small business website? Contact our Las Vegas website design agency today.