What are the five key elements to look for in an affordable small business website design?
1. Usability
What is the first thing you notice about trendy blogs and portals? Many of them are crammed with as many elements as possible above the fold. For a portal, that makes sense. But not for a small business website. Your design should be easy on the eye, clever but not over-the-top. Above all, aim for clarity and focus, and make it easy to navigate.
2. Easy to navigate
Your goal is to steer your potential customer through to a clear path of understanding and lead them to take a specific action. Too many navigation options will overwhelm or confuse them. Use the multi-media tools available sparingly and always with the intention to help them appreciate your services. "What's in it for me?" is the customer's motto. Show them the benefits of choosing your company over the competition. Flickr and Youtube are effective business tools. Use them to focus on the benefits of your services and lead your reader to take action.
3. Direct call to action
As a small business owner, your ultimate goal is to persuade your website visitor to call or email you and become a customer. How is this achieved? When you explain who you are and show your visitors how you can benefit them, they will want to choose your service. They came to the Web looking for you, and they would prefer not to have to keep searching. Describe the problems or the needs your service can fix or fulfill. Put their minds at ease. Clarify their options. Direct them to contact you with any questions they may have.
4. Clearly communicates your message
Do not bog down your potential customer with the jargon of your trade. Jargon is like chili powder. A little goes a long way. Use it sparingly and it will help establish your authority in the mind of the reader. Pile it on and you will sound like a puffed-up know-it-all. Your customer wants to cut to the chase. How can you help them with their problem? Speak to their concerns and needs quickly, after subtly establishing your proficiency and expertise.
5. Socialized
Maintain as transparent a profile as possible. Your business and your reputation depends on it. The days are over when business people could attempt to hide behind a PR screen of anonymity. There are no longer six degrees of separation, thanks to the double-edged sword of advanced technologies such as Google. Your small business reputation will spread like wildfire, good news or bad, throughout your community via the social media sites that are propagating the internet.
Follow these basic design principles and your small business website will have the potential to substantially improve your bottom line.
1. Usability
What is the first thing you notice about trendy blogs and portals? Many of them are crammed with as many elements as possible above the fold. For a portal, that makes sense. But not for a small business website. Your design should be easy on the eye, clever but not over-the-top. Above all, aim for clarity and focus, and make it easy to navigate.
2. Easy to navigate
Your goal is to steer your potential customer through to a clear path of understanding and lead them to take a specific action. Too many navigation options will overwhelm or confuse them. Use the multi-media tools available sparingly and always with the intention to help them appreciate your services. "What's in it for me?" is the customer's motto. Show them the benefits of choosing your company over the competition. Flickr and Youtube are effective business tools. Use them to focus on the benefits of your services and lead your reader to take action.
3. Direct call to action
As a small business owner, your ultimate goal is to persuade your website visitor to call or email you and become a customer. How is this achieved? When you explain who you are and show your visitors how you can benefit them, they will want to choose your service. They came to the Web looking for you, and they would prefer not to have to keep searching. Describe the problems or the needs your service can fix or fulfill. Put their minds at ease. Clarify their options. Direct them to contact you with any questions they may have.
4. Clearly communicates your message
Do not bog down your potential customer with the jargon of your trade. Jargon is like chili powder. A little goes a long way. Use it sparingly and it will help establish your authority in the mind of the reader. Pile it on and you will sound like a puffed-up know-it-all. Your customer wants to cut to the chase. How can you help them with their problem? Speak to their concerns and needs quickly, after subtly establishing your proficiency and expertise.
5. Socialized
Maintain as transparent a profile as possible. Your business and your reputation depends on it. The days are over when business people could attempt to hide behind a PR screen of anonymity. There are no longer six degrees of separation, thanks to the double-edged sword of advanced technologies such as Google. Your small business reputation will spread like wildfire, good news or bad, throughout your community via the social media sites that are propagating the internet.
Follow these basic design principles and your small business website will have the potential to substantially improve your bottom line.