Customers treat a business website like a second storefront. They expect it to be professional, provide everything they need to know, and make them feel comfortable shopping there. Often businesses treat their website like a quick information dump and do not factor in how much value the customer places on their design. As any website designer will tell you, each part of your website will play an important role in forming a customer’s opinion of your business.
Home Page
As soon as someone clicks on your business homepage link, they are going to form a snap judgement of your business. This first impression is influenced by a number of different elements that form an overall user experience.
The first element is how fast it loads. If you have a ton of design features on your website, the load time might be slow enough that visitors get frustrated and leave. Hire a new designer to see if they can clean up some of the coding aspects that are slowing your site down, or consider switching to a new hosting company for faster speeds.
The second is how it looks. Even if you love that fire-engine red background with bold black text, it probably scares many of your site visitors away. Choose colors that are comforting, professional and that match your brand personality. Always opt for a simpler design so the audience is drawn in and can find things easily.
Navigation
How easy it is to navigate through your website is also going to leave an impact on customers. If it is complicated or difficult to follow, customers are going to think working with your business is going to be just as cumbersome. Make everything extremely easy to follow. Anticipate what your customer will want to see before they even realize it and craft it into your navigation and web design.
Content
The content of your website needs to convey all the information a customer would want to know about your business. On a basic level, this should include:
- Information about your business, including a rich history that highlights your business experience.
- Testimonials and awards that show off your reputation.
- Descriptions of all products or services you offer.
- Frequently asked questions.
- All relevant contact information, including your address, phone number, and email.
Bonus tip: On every page, insert a call to action that instructs visitors on the next steps they need to take. Direct them to your contact page if they have any questions. Escort them to the product listings so they can explore options. Ask them to check out your about page if they have questions about who you are and what you do. These directions will help them find their way to becoming a customer.
Social Media Links
If you are on social media, make it easy for visitors to connect with you. When you include social media links on your website, you give site visitors the option to get to know your business better. Some people go to your website looking for your social media presence. Others do not realize they want to connect with you on social until they see your icons.
Social media is one of the best ways for your site visitors to become customers because they are able to interact and communicate with your brand at any time. You can chat with them on social, handle customer service issues, and answer any questions they have about your business. They will also be able to share your posts and spread your brand name across the internet.
Mobile Version
Since a large proportion of internet access is now from mobile devices, you need to make sure your website is optimized for mobile platforms. Many of your customers will look up your business for the first time on mobile. If the design is awful and they can’t find out anything about your business easily, you will lose that customer opportunity. Design your website so it is mobile friendly and offer users both versions of your website – mobile or web.
This article was contributed by Magicdust – Sydney website designers who specialize in small business web development and SEO strategy.
