If your website is outdated in terms of design and functionality, you’re at risk of not being found online, providing a poor user experience and paying to host something that isn’t working for you.
To help attract more visitors and generate you leads your small business website should tick all the boxes from a site speed, navigation and Google perspective…whilst clearly representing your business and how you add value to your customers.
We recently re-designed our website and here are our top 10 tips for website success:
1) Strategy, strategy, strategy
It’s the beginning, middle and end of this type of project… if there is ever an end to website development! Without a clear strategy and defined objectives, your website won’t work for you and your business. This can then have a huge impact on your subsequent marketing.
2) Put the customer and their experience first
It’s why we have a small business website in the first place! Wanting to be found by just anyone and everyone might get you a beautiful website but it’s highly unlikely to get you a website that generates you business. So, start with the customers you want to attract and what they want and need to see, experience and understand.
3) Systems and automation
Our mind has been blown by tech recently and just how much automation and systemisation has developed in the last 6 months. So, focus on what you would like to achieve without worrying about the how because the how probably exists! We will share some of our favourite products & tools in the coming weeks and months…
4) Content & Keywords
We threw it all out and started again. Our business has evolved so much in the last 2 years that regurgitating the same content just wasn’t going to cut it. So take a step back analyse what you need and then make sure what you have represents your business, culture and offer… then write what you can, littered with all the right keywords – keep Google happy and your SEO scores high!
5) Design, Pages & Features
Tthis was the best and worst bit. Let’s face it if we have 50 years of experience in design or design is a million miles away from our role, we all have an opinion. So, getting something that we felt represented BAS Associates Ltd, would appeal to our clients and satisfied us… was hard but we are so pleased with where we have landed.
6) You don’t need to know it all you just need to ask
In lots of areas we knew what we wanted and what we didn’t want. Yet we still had lots of questions we needed to ask, and that the designer needed to ask us, to ensure we were all on the same page. So, finding a small business website designer that could digest that and take our reams of thoughts, questions and challenges and convert into something brilliant was a necessity.
7) Perfection does exist
You can have the perfect small business website but you don’t need to wait until its perfect to get it working. Websites should always be evolving and developing. So, if you reach the point of just needing to do some tinkering or adding some extra pages then just go for it! Put it live, let Google start to do its thing and give yourself a breather. Then strive for perfection…
8) Expect challenges when it goes live
There are so many things to check before a website is put live. Even if you tick, check and double tick and double check, it’s not until you press publish that you can see how all the functions, processes and features work in a live environment. Have your website designer on hand and ask your team for help – all eyes on the website! Create a snag list and start working through it.
9) Tell everyone about your new website
You need traffic to your new small business website, you need feedback to evolve your content, features and processes and you need show off your hard work!
10) Monitor, understand, and develop
Your small business website is never finished and will never be finished (sorry!). To keep your website working for your business, to keep the content up to date and relevant, to keep the monster that is Google happy you need to monitor results, understand why and then continue to develop your website.
When was the last time you updated the content on your small business website? Is your website working for you? Is your website secure? Are you happy with your page rankings on google?
Take a look at one of your biggest marketing assets and make sure its working for you!
Want support on your Marketing Strategy before going full steam ahead with a website re-design? Get in touch with Sian Smith here.
