Consumers turn to the Internet first when they are in the market to buy something whether it be a service or product. It’s where they learn about a business, see what it offers, and read reviews about others’ experiences. It’s also where customers connect with businesses for help and ask questions. These are the reasons small businesses need a website. The following are the key elements you need in one to meet your consumers expectations.
Mobile Friendly
Many consumers are no longer using their desktop and laptop to search the Internet. They are on their smartphones and tablets. A site needs to be responsive, which means it adjusts to appear attractive and function correctly on mobile devices.
Easy Navigation
Consumers are impatient. They want to find what they need quickly and easily. This is why your website design has to be simple. Consumers should be able to find what they need with only a couple of clicks from the homepage. A navigation menu at the top of your website will help you do this, as well as images and text that are linkable to additional information.
High Speed
Again, consumers are impatient. They do not want to wait for sites to load. This means that each page of your site should load in a second or less. Proper coding can help you boost the speed of your site, so consult with someone who has experience in this skill.
Purposeful Pages
A website is made up of webpages. These webpages provide site visitors information about a business and its products and services. Each page should have a purpose instead of being general giving visitors a lot of information about many different topics.
Attractive Images
People process images much faster than they do text, which is why they are attracted to them. The images should be high quality and related to what your site sells.
Social Media Icons
Almost all consumers are on social media these days. It’s important to advertise your presence on social networks with icons on your site. You should include social media icons that help your consumers follow you, and icons that encourage them to share your content on their feeds. Usually, social media icons for followers should be at the top and bottom of each page of your site, and then the sharing icons at the top and/or bottom of each blog post.
Quick Checkout
Consumers are less likely to buy if they have to spend a lot of time checking out. The checkout process should be complete in two clicks or less. This includes going from the description of the product or service to the confirmation screen.
Designing a quality site can be difficult because including these elements correctly takes skill and creativity. It’s why many business owners contact a professional website designer to design their website. The good news is that once the website is designed, all it needs is upkeep, which is the easiest part of having an online presence.
Consumers are looking for your products and services online. Don’t let them find your competitors. Have a website designed with these key elements to serve their needs to grow your business.
