Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and as such, it’s important for them to have the necessary tools and resources to succeed. As a provider of business services, it’s crucial for me to ensure that my clients have the small business website must haves for running and growing their online presence. These include things like an easy to navigate layout and responsive web design, relevant keyword content, and more. Finding out how and where to implement this knowledge though is troubling altogether. Without these elements, small businesses may struggle to stay competitive and achieve their goals. By providing these essential tools and resources, small businesses can thrive and reach their full potential.
Homepage
A homepage is the first thing that users see when they visit a website, and it is often the primary point of entry for users. So, it is essential that a homepage has a clear and attractive design that immediately captures the attention of users and provides them with a positive first impression of the website. A clear and attractive design can be achieved by using a simple layout, high-quality images and graphics, and a consistent color scheme. The homepage should also provide a brief description of the business and its services or products. This can be done through the use of a tagline or by prominently displaying a mission statement. This helps users understand the purpose of the website and what they can expect to find when they navigate through it.
Lastly, a call to action (CTA) on the homepage is a hugely important must have for a small business website. A CTA is a button or link that encourages users to take a specific action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or requesting more information. This helps to guide users towards the intended action and can increase the chances of conversion. A well-designed and placed CTA can greatly help increase the chances of getting more customers or leads. A homepage that has a clear and attractive design, a brief description of the business and its services or products, and a call to action, will help to create a positive user experience, guide users towards the intended action, and increase the chances of conversion.
About Us Page
An About Us page is the second most important part of a website as it provides detailed information about the business and its history to potential customers. This information can help to build trust and credibility with users, and can also provide them with a better understanding of the company’s values and mission. It is important that an About Us page includes detailed information about the ownership and management team. This can include biographies of key members of the team, their professional backgrounds and qualifications, and their roles within the company. This information can help to build trust with users by showing them that the company is run by qualified and experienced individuals.
In addition to this, including testimonials from satisfied customers can be a powerful way to build credibility and trust with potential customers. Testimonials give the users a gist of the company’s reputation, and can also help to build confidence in the company’s products or services. It’s important to select testimonials that are relevant and recent, as they will be more effective in building trust and credibility. An About Us page that includes detailed information about the business and its history, information about the ownership and management team, and testimonials from satisfied customers can help to build trust and credibility with users, provide them with a better understanding of the company’s values and mission, and increase the chances of conversion.
Services or Products Page
A service or products page is obviously a critical must have for a small business website, as it provides detailed information about a business’s offerings to potential customers. This helps users to understand the features and benefits of the products or services being offered, and can also help to build trust and credibility with users. It is important that a service or products page includes detailed information about the offerings, such as specifications, features, and benefits. Present this information in an easy-to-read format, with headings and bullet points to break up long blocks of text. High-quality images of the products or services can be an effective way to engage users and help them to better understand the offerings. Make sure to use images that are clear and well-lit, as well as images that accurately represent the product or service. Also, providing different angles of the product or service can help users to see the product from different perspectives.
Pricing information is also a critical aspect of the service or product page. It should be clear, transparent and easy to find. Providing pricing information will help users to understand the cost of the products or services and will help to build trust and credibility with users by showing that the business is open and transparent about its pricing. A service or products page that includes detailed information about the business’s offerings, high-quality images of the products or services, and pricing information will help potential customers to understand the features and benefits of the products or services being offered, engage users and help them to better understand the offerings, and increase the chances of conversion by providing potential customers with the information they need to make an informed decision.
Contact Us Page
A Contact us page provides users with a way to get in touch with the business. Sweet and simple. It should also be easy to find and easy to use, to help build trust and credibility with users by showing that the business is available to answer their questions and concerns. If the business has a physical location, make sure to include the address and a map on the Contact us page. This tells potential customers how to find the location easily and can also help to build trust and credibility by showing that the business is a legitimate brick-and-mortar operation. Including a phone number and email address on the contact us page is also vital, so users have multiple ways to contact the business.
A contact form or email address to send inquiries will be necessary as well, giving users a convenient way to contact the business. All of these minor additions, cumulatively help to build trust and credibility. It should be easy to find and use, with clear instructions on how to fill it out and submit. Lastly, it’s a good idea to include links to social media accounts on the contact us page. An active social media presence is a strong factor in gaining visitor’s trust. It is also usually the best way to engage with users and keep them updated with the latest news and promotions. When designing a Contact us page make sure to include a physical location of the business (if applicable), phone number and email address, contact form or email address to send inquiries, and links to social media accounts. This will help users to find the location easily and contact the business through multiple ways.
Blog or News Page
A blog or new page is another must have for a small business website, because it provides regularly updated content related to the business or industry. This increases engagement with users, provides valuable information to users, and shows that the business is an expert in its field. It is essential however, that the content on the blog or news page is regularly updated and is relevant to the business or industry. This will keep users engaged and help to improve the search engine optimization (SEO) of the website by providing fresh content that can be indexed by search engines. The use of keywords for SEO is wildly important. This improves the visibility of the website on search engines and can also help to attract more traffic to the website. Make sure to use keywords that are relevant to the business or industry and that are commonly used by users when searching for information online.
Including share buttons for social media on the blog or news page can also be a powerful way to increase engagement with users. Share buttons make it easy for users to share the content on their own social media accounts, which can help to increase the visibility of the website and attract more traffic to the website. A blog or news page that includes regularly updated content related to the business or industry, use of keywords for SEO, and share buttons for social media, will help to increase engagement with users, provide valuable information to users, improve the search engine optimization of the website, and increase the visibility of the website and can also help to attract more traffic to the website.
SEO and Responsive Design
Search engine optimization (SEO) and responsive design are both major must haves of all website design and helps to improve the visibility and usability of a website. When it comes to SEO, the use of keywords and meta tags can be very beneficial. Keywords are the phrases and words that users type into search engines to find information online. By including relevant keywords in the content of a website, as well as in meta tags such as the title and description, it can help search engines to understand the content of a website and to index it more effectively, which can increase the visibility of the website on search engines.
Responsive design is the practice of designing a website in such a way that it automatically adapts to the device it is being viewed on. This means that a website that is optimized for different devices, such as smartphones and tablets, will provide a better user experience, opposed to the layout and functionality that is optimized for a specific device. This helps to improve the usability of the website, as users will be able to access and navigate the website easily on a wide range of devices. Additionally, Google and other search engines favor responsive design websites since it provides a better user experience, which is also an important ranking factor. In summary, using keywords and meta tags as part of SEO and designing a website that is optimized for different devices through responsive design, can help to improve the visibility of a website on search engines, increase its usability, and provide a better user experience which in turn can increase the chances of conversion.
Security
Website security is an essential must have for a small business website to protect both the website and its visitors from various cyber threats such as hacking, phishing and data breaches. Several measures can be taken to ensure website security, including the use of an SSL certificate, regular backups of the website, and compliance with legal requirements. An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a security protocol that encrypts communication between the website and its visitors. This means that any sensitive information, such as personal data or financial details, that is transmitted between the website and its visitors is protected from being intercepted by third parties. An SSL certificate is a must have for any website that handles sensitive information, such as e-commerce sites or sites that require users to create an account.
Regular backups of the website are important in the event that the website is compromised or experiences technical issues. Backups allow the website to be restored to a previous version, which helps to minimize the potential damage caused by a security incident or technical issue. It should be done regularly and stored in a safe location. Lastly, legal requirements can vary depending on the location and type of business, but it’s important to comply with the laws and regulations that apply to the website. This can include compliance with data protection and privacy laws, such as the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as well as laws related to e-commerce and online advertising. In summary, website security requires an SSL certificate to encrypt communication between the website and its visitors, regular backups of the website, and compliance with legal requirements to protect sensitive information, minimize potential damage, and maintain legal compliance.
Privacy Policy
A privacy policy is a legal document that outlines how a website collects, uses, and protects personal information from its users. It is critical to have a clear and comprehensive privacy policy in order to protect the website and its users, and to comply with legal requirements. A cookie policy is a key part of a privacy policy as it explains how the website uses cookies and other similar technologies. Cookies are small files that are stored on a user’s device and are used to track user behavior and preferences on a website. A cookie policy should explain what types of cookies are used, how they are used, and how users can manage or delete them. Terms and conditions (T&C) are a set of rules and guidelines that users must agree to abide by in order to use the website. The T&C should outline the rights and responsibilities of both the website and the user, and should be easily accessible to users.
A disclaimer is a statement that limits the liability of the website in certain situations. This can include limiting liability for the accuracy of information on the website, or limiting liability for the actions of third parties. Make sure to include credit and copyright information on the website, such as the names of the authors and contributors of the website, as well as any third-party content that is used on the website. This ensures that the rights of the creators of the website and any third-party content are respected and protected. In summary, a privacy policy needs a cookie policy, terms and conditions, disclaimer, and credit and copyright information to protect the website and its users, and to comply with legal requirements. This can help to ensure that the rights of the website and its users are respected and protected, and that the website is operating within the bounds of the law.
Business Website Must Haves
Small business website must haves such as a clear and informative homepage, an About Us page that highlights the company’s mission and values, a detailed Services page that outlines the products or services offered, a user-friendly Contact Us page for easy communication with customers, and a regularly updated Blog page for sharing industry insights and company news can greatly enhance a business’s performance. Along with robust security and privacy measures, these elements can help attract and retain customers, build trust and credibility, and improve online visibility and search engine rankings. Investing in these essential website components can pay off in increased sales and a stronger online presence for your business.