As a small business, I’m sure you’ve come across the term “digital marketing,” and while it may seem like an easy concept, there is so much more to it. However, before we overwhelm ourselves, let’s talk basics.
In our digital age, a small business website is essential to building an online presence. From there, developing a digital marketing strategy can be done in more detail depending on the goals of the company.
Why a Website is Essential for a Small Business
The number one goal of any small business is to produce sales of some sort. Simply put, you have a product or service, and you want the community to purchase them. That means a business needs to be seen, and while word of mouth is excellent, that won’t get you noticed by the masses.
Visibilty
I said it before, and I’ll repeat it—to grow, a business needs to be seen. Visibility is a huge factor in not only getting those vital sales but in brand recognition and building authority in your given niche.
A small business website is one of the first places I recommend you begin with because it not only gives potential clients a place to go when looking for more information, but it provides a business with a place to produce and release valuable content to help drive sales and build reputability.
Accessibility
A small business website is also great because it is a platform where potential customers can go to 24/7. It acts as a valuable resource of information, a place for consumers to go to have questions answered—and they won’t be limited to strict business hours.
6 Best Practices for Building and Improving a Small Business Website
Whether your small business website is fresh off the presses or in need of a bit of a facelift, I’m a firm believer that following a few vital steps will help your website hit the ground running.
That being said, I’ve compiled a shortlist of best practices that I believe all small business websites should keep in mind while building or improving their sites.
1. Design is key
Before I get too technical, I wanted to take a moment to point out how vital the overall design of your small business website truly is. Not only is it the face of your brand, it’s a place that will hopefully attract new business regularly while also converting consumers into clients.
The design needs to not only be aesthetically pleasing but also functional. Make sure you are appealing to the consumer’s senses here. What are they seeing, hearing, and feeling when they visit your site? If the site is unappealing, then your reputation in the industry and as a professional will quickly take a beating.
2. Create a simple and easy-to-use navigation
Along with being easy on the eyes, a small business website should be easy to navigate.
Most websites follow a similar navigation layout:
- Home
- About Us
- Products/Services/Who We Serve
- Blog/Content Section
- Contact Us
From there, businesses can choose to include subheadings to help further guide consumers to the information they are looking for.
- Blog
- Digital Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Content Marketing
- Products
- Email Automation
- Content Creation – Let Us Do the Work
- Analytics Reports
One thing to keep in mind here is you don’t want to overload your navigation system. Yes, having subheadings is excellent; however, keep them relevant to what you are providing consumers. Too many options create stress for readers because what they are looking for could fall under multiple headings.
Think about all the ways your business could grow and what categories your navigation fits into. Build your navigation like you’re already a huge company—so you won’t have to shift things around as you add more to your site.
Be specific and keep it clean.
3. Invest in Search Engine Optimization
SEO, or search engine optimization, is another vital piece of the puzzle. If you want your small business website seen, I highly suggest you invest in learning how to optimize your site and its content. Or hiring an expert (like me!) to help. Doing so will help to increase the overall quality and quantity of your website’s traffic, helping gain exposure to your brand through organic search engine results.
4. Content creation is vital
Providing regular, high-quality content is vital for not only building your brand’s exposure but also helping to create a sense of trust and authority with your small business website. Content that is properly optimized for SEO will help bring in those views which will hopefully translate into sales down the line.
5. Have a way for visitors to contact you
Having a simple, easily identifiable contact page is the way to go for any small business website. This allows consumers with questions to cut right to the chase and contact you or your support staff promptly.
This is also where you can expand on other ways to contact you, including social media sites.
6. Analytics Matter
Analytics tell a business what is and isn’t working when it comes to their marketing efforts. Those who run small business websites can take advantage of numerous tools to help them see what is working, who is visiting their pages, and for what reasons.
These numbers matter.
Growing Your Small Business — Website, Social Media & So Much More
When it comes to developing a small business, a website is only the beginning. Digital marketing now includes a vast array of different aspects, meaning that businesses need to know how to navigate the internet on more levels than merely owning a website or having a Facebook page.
A business’ digital marketing strategy can include a combination of any of the following:
- Websites
- Blogs
- Social Media
- Mobile Markets
- Content Marketing
- Search Engine Marketing/Optimization
- Email Marketing
- So much more
With over 10 years in digital marketing, I understand the ever-changing digital landscape. This means I can help new and existing businesses—no matter their size—succeed online. Whether it’s a one-off project or an ongoing basis, let’s set up a time to talk about your business, goals and any current struggles.
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