5 Web Design Best Practices All Small Businesses Should Follow
If your business doesn’t have a website, you’re losing customers. Websites offer an easy way for new clients to find you and learn about your services–they’re a must-have for any small business.
Simply having a website isn’t enough, though. Without proper web design, you’ll drive people away from your site instead of drawing them in. There are several web design best practices to follow if you want a great website. Or you can simply use the services of a Phoenix web development agency, like Octiv Digital, or other companies in your area to make sure all the best practices are used on your website.
Web design covers every facet of your site, from your user interface to your load times. Keep reading to learn about five of the most important elements of good web design.
1. Simple Navigation
If you want your website to succeed, you need to provide a great customer experience. User experience, or UX in web design parlance, determines how long a user stays on your site and if they’ll come back.
Easy site navigation is a key component of good UX design. It should be easy for users to move around your site and find the information they want.
Think beyond the browser. Most people browse the internet on their phones, not their computers; therefore, your website needs to be optimized for display on mobile devices.
2. Clean Design
Put a lot of thought into the visual design of your website. Remember, your website might be the first part of your small business a new customer sees. You want to make a good impression.
Avoid complex, crowded pages. Keep your design simple and clean. That will help with ease of navigation, too.
Make sure your branding is consistent across the website.
3. Search Engine Optimization
Great website design won’t do you any good if people aren’t finding your website. You need to ensure that your site is turning up on web searches. Search engine optimization, or SEO, can help you do that.
SEO is all about finding keywords that appeal to your customer base and deploying them strategically throughout your website. Companies like binaryglyph.com can help you with local SEO.
4. Clear Contact Info
One benefit of having a small business website is that it helps customers get in touch with you, fostering positive relationships. Thus, it’s important to make your contact information easy to find.
A ‘contact us’ page is a great place to start. Make sure to list your phone number, email, address, and anything else a customer can use to get in touch.
5. Fast Load Times
Your website needs to be fast. When a user navigates to a page, the transition should be seamless; the longer it takes for a page to load, the less likely a user is to stick around.
Compress your data, reduce image sizes, and look for other ways to keep your load times low. Any load times over two seconds will cost you customers.
Follow These Web Design Best Practices
A great website is a perfect way to expand your business. To get the most out of your small business website, follow the web design best practices outlined above–you’ll see results before you know it!
Are you looking for more ways to improve your company? Visit our business and finances blog to find advice about advertising campaigns, project management, and everything else you need to help your small business grow!
