5 Website Development Tips for Small Business Owners
Maintaining a modern website is no longer an option. The world does business online. Therefore, any small business that hopes to compete needs to be online as well. That is where the customers are. The good news is that small businesses do not immediately have to spend a fortune on web development services.
No doubt paid web development services are a worthwhile investment for small businesses that can comfortably afford them. For businesses that are just starting out or those with limited marketing budgets, it is possible to get going online while keeping things in-house.
Webtek Digital Marketing is a Salt Lake City agency that includes web development services on its menu. Below are five tips they offer small businesses looking to get online for the first time. If you can afford to pay for professional services, they would be happy to hear from you.
1. Start by Determining Your Goals
The first priority for any small business preparing to launch that first website is to determine the goals for the site. It is best to start with one or two goals and work from there. Common goals for first timers are generating leads and boosting brand awareness. Another way to put it is to say that you will use your website as an online business card or brochure.
2. Define the Target Audience
Another key for small business owners is to define the target audience they hope to reach. A target audience consisting mostly of millennials and older Gen Zers will have certain expectations of what a modern website should look and feel like. Gen Xers and baby boomers will have different expectations.
Note that age is just one means of determining target audience. There are tons of other possibilities including income, education level, geographic location, and so forth. The important thing is to understand your audience so you can create a website that appeals to them.
3. Create a Positive Experience
You do not have to have a large and complex website to appeal to customers. In fact, it’s better to start simply. Webtek recommends starting with what the industry refers to as the minimum viable product (MVP), which is to say a website that provides the core functions and information necessary to introduce customers to your brand.
Along with MVP, focus on creating a positive experience. Make sure your pages load quickly. Make sure your site is easily readable and offers a color scheme that is not hard on the eyes. Keep the navigation simple, as well. The fewer the clicks, the better.
4. Don’t Forget Mobile Users
Webtek recommends making sure pages load quickly because Google ranks for speed. But guess what? Google also ranks for mobile friendliness. A good way to ensure your site is mobile friendly is to use a content management system (CMS) like WordPress or Drupal and choose a theme that is already mobile friendly.
5. Use a CMS
Speaking of content management systems, using a CMS is the best way to get a professional-looking site up quickly without having to know any code. If you can use a word processor, you can learn most CMSs with very little effort. Later on, when you can afford professional web development services, your service provider can start over and build a new website from scratch.
Every small business needs to be online. That much isn’t optional. But small businesses do not need to spend a small fortune to get started. Hopefully, the tips from this post will help you get online without breaking the budget. You can always pay for professional services down the road.
