If you’re a small business owner creating your first website, why not aim high? Your website is the hub of your online presence, a marketing tool in itself. It needs to look the part, as research has found that a huge 75% of consumers judge a company’s credibility based on its website design.

So, what makes a great small business website? Here are some essential tips to help you get started.

Choose the right domain name and hosting company
An important thing to remember with your domain name is that your entire site will be based on it, and you’re pretty much stuck with it. It needs to be easy to remember and to type, and ideally contain keywords relating to your business that you want to target.

Also, you need to choose your hosting company carefully. Look for a credible, well-known company with a good reputation for reliability and customer service. You might need to read some reviews first, or ask your website design company for a recommendation.

Get the basics right
Before you focus on how your website looks, make sure it works properly. Remember that users are visiting your site to find information and they want it quickly. So, check off the basics:
• Make it easy to contact you – including social media links.
• Include a physical address – this builds credibility by showing that the site is owned by a legitimate company.
• Write an ‘About Us’ page – this explains what the company does, its values, how it started and the real people behind it.

Consider using professional web design services
Unless you have design and development skills, it could really pay to use a professional web design agency. They can create a site that looks professional, loads quickly and is a dream to use. It can also ensure other boxes are ticked, like SEO (search engine optimisation) and security features.

Focus on high quality visuals
All of the visual elements of your website should be as high quality as possible. This includes your logo, photos and videos, the colour scheme and other branding elements. You’ll need to talk through your ideas for the look and feel of the site with your web design company, making sure it reflects your company’s brand and ethos.

Include calls to action
As well as providing your visitors with information, your website has another very important job. It needs to tell users what to do next if they like what they see.

This is where calls to action (CTAs) come in. These are messages which instruct the visitor on what action to take, like ‘sign up’, ‘get started’, ‘join now’ or ‘get in touch’.

Well-used CTAs can prompt an interested visitor to take the next step and become an actual customer, while also guiding them smoothly through the website.

Our web design experts here at Nextgen Marketing can help you create a fabulous small business website that does exactly what you need it to. Get in touch to discuss your ideas, and to hear ours!