5 Best Website Practices For Small Businesses

Whether you’re an established business or a newcomer, a website is a fantastic way to add legitimacy to your business and give customers a means to explore your products and services. Although social media is becoming increasingly popular as a means to communicate with your audience, websites still remain a tried and tested way to market your business. That said, there are a few important things to keep in mind when building (or optimising your website).

1. Know your audience

As with any marketing activity, it is crucial to have an understanding of your audience or audiences. You wouldn’t speak to your grandmother the same way you speak to your mates, so why wouldn’t you tailor your language for your audience? Males aged 40-60 will have different preferences to females aged 20-30, people living in Bondi will have different interests to those living in Bankstown, and a musician will have different needs to a stockbroker. Make sure you know who your audience is and target your approach accordingly.

2. Choose your CMS wisely

Your content management system (CMS) is where you will build your website, list your products and services, and update your content. However, there are so many different website builders out there that it can be hard to distinguish the comparative benefits of Wix versus Squarespace vs WordPress vs a custom build. It all comes down to what your present needs are, and where you see your company going in the future. For example, Wix is fantastic for users who just want a quick and simple website that is easy to use and build. However, it can often be hard to make changes (for example, you can’t change your website design template after you’ve chosen it) and its SEO functionality has definite room for improvement. Squarespace’s system allows you to create a beautiful website but its functionality isn’t as intuitive as some, and again there are some lingering SEO issues. WordPress, on the other hand, offers a whole fleet of customisation options and incredible SEO functionality but can be intimidating for beginners.

3. Get familiar with SEO

While we’re on the subject, you might also have heard the term “SEO” thrown around a lot. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation and describes the ways in which a company can rank more highly in Google search results. Of course, while SEO is crucial to a website’s performance, it can be hard for beginners to know exactly where to start or even how to find a reputable SEO company. Sites such as Moz and Search Engine Journal provide valuable resources for beginners, giving you the tools to implement your own SEO best practices or helping you identify legitimate SEO companies.

4. Responsive

In 2014, we saw mobile usage overtake desktop usage for the first time and since then, the gap has only widened. Most of your customers will be browsing your website from their smartphones these days, so it’s important to make their experience a pleasant one. Ensure your website is built in responsive design so that it will automatically configure itself based on whether the user is viewing your site via mobile, tablet, or desktop.

5. Build Credibility

Now that your website is set up and your SEO is in place, it’s time to start building credibility and authority with your audience. Having a blog on your website provides the perfect avenue
to regularly create articles that not only engage your audience but also showcase your expertise. Sharing your articles on your social media platforms is yet another way to encourage engagement with your customers, plus it has the added benefit of making your website seem more appealing to Google.

Final Word

A well-built and thoroughly optimised website can do wonders for your business’ online presence and marketing strategy but it’s important to get it right from the start. Talk to the experts at Sydney Online Marketing to find out how you can stand out from the crowd.