Amongst all the good ones, there are so many just plain awful websites that live online. Don’t be included in that group; take a step back and look at your website from all angles.
There are many pieces that must work together for an exceptional website; especially more than just a great design.
This piece will discuss what makes an exceptional website, 6 things every small business website needs and much more. Enjoy.
WHAT MAKES AN EXCEPTIONAL WEBSITE?
No matter the size of the company or the purpose of a website, there are certain characteristics that make up an exceptional website. An exceptional website must be CREDIBLE and include VALUABLE INFORMATION as well as be ACCESSIBLE and USABLE. If your website (small or large business) satisfies the above needs, meets your purpose and solves the overall purpose of the website then you most likely have achieved an exceptional website. Other factors to consider:
- Visually appealing
- Current and Compelling Content
- Easy to Navigate
- Real Testimonials
- Video and Engaging Graphics
6 THINGS EVERY SMALL BUSINESS WEBSITE NEEDS
Every small business is different and will require different things for their website. The below 6 options are the basic things that all small businesses will need. Don’t stop here though, continue to grow your website, and let it evolve into something truly successful.
EASY TO FIND CONTACT INFORMATION
If you make it hard for people to contact you then most likely they will move on to someone who isn’t playing hard to get. This is one of the simplest things to get right; give multiple ways (email, chat, phone, text, phone, etc) for your prospects and clients alike to contact you. In addition, set expectations of when you get back with them and meet or exceed those expectations.
A MOBILE WEBSITE
Google reported a 400% increase in mobile usage in 2011 and that has only continued to consistently increase. Get with the times and become current by updated to a mobile site version. Small businesses can really capitalize from this because it will set them apart from their local and equally small competitors. Create a mobile app and you will see even more results.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
As you already should know, social media is the new way to communicate on a personal level as well as professionally. Be sure to add the appropriate social media to your marketing strategy and include links to intertwine and align with your website. Make your small business go viral with online social sharing.
LOTS OF CURRENT CONTENT (BLOG)
Besides having quality links on your site, content is the next best thing. Take the time to create a quality online marketing content strategy. Keep your content up-to-date and keep it coming. The more quality content you can have on your site, the better Google and other search engines will rank you. One way of doing this is by including a blog on your site. Many small companies don’t do this as of yet so capitalize on that.
A MEMORABLE URL
A memorable URL is key to people finding you and sharing with friends, family and co-workers. Your URL is something you will give to people over the phone and print on marketing materials, online advertisements, etc. You don’t want it to include lots of dashes, numbers or awkward spelling of works. Keep it simple.
A CLEAR EXPLANATION OF WHO YOU ARE AS A BUSINESS
Remember most people coming to your site will have never heard of you and may not know anything at all about who you are or what you do. Keep your headings bold and prominent and clearly outline who you are as a business and what you have to offer. Clearly let people know how you can solve their problem. This can be done with great content and an exceptional design team.
FACTS ABOUT WHY YOUR WEBSITE NEEDS TO BE THE BEST
The web is an extremely vast space therefore you need to figure out a way to make your presence stand out amongst the rest. Think about the following stats; at the end of 2013, the following statistics were reported (www.Factshunt.com):
- 759 Million Websites on the Web
- 510 Million Live (active) Websites on the Web
- 14.3 Trillion Webpages on the Web
- 48 Billion Webpages Live (active) on the Web
- Over 9,00,000 Servers on the Web Owned by Google (Largest in World)
- 1193 Million Registered Domains on the Net
* With all of these websites, webpages, domains and business users online, your website must stand out, function better and be truly exceptional.
FINAL THOUGHTS
So many small businesses make the mistake of not spending the necessary time on their website because they don’t think it is needed; they are wrong.
As I said above, there are many ways to make your small business website successful, only you can decide on which will work best for your business. Look at your website reporting and tracking tools to see what is working best for you and what could be overhauled.