You know that your website desperately needs an overhaul. You may continually postpone the redesigning, citing inadequate time. Sadly, your hesitation may be costing your business in the long term.
In this blog, you will learn tips that you can use to improve your site’s design resulting in more conversions. Below are a few reasons why a well-designed website is critical for your website success. Keep in mind that you also can use a web design and management agency to help with everything listed below if you feel it is out of your wheelhouse.
Contents
Why Design Matters
Your website is technically your company’s ‘home’ on the internet. The design is responsible for forging the right feel and look for your visitors. Research shows that it takes less than 50 milliseconds for visitors to create an opinion about a site.
The layout of your website goes far beyond aesthetics. It affects the perception of the visitors about your brand. Poor site performance can hurt your brand name, influencing your business success.
15 Essential Tips for Improving Your Small Business Website
Nonetheless, you should not panic. No website is perfect. You can make subtle improvements in your design and boost your conversions. Here is a detailed guideline to start you off.
Keep It Simple
A good website may incorporate numerous components that work together to provide an excellent user experience. However, too many plugins, images, and tools can be counterproductive.
Your website aims to convey your brand message instantaneously. Blocks of texts, complicated animations can distract visitors from the information you are trying to pass.
Few visitors have the time to read through every line on your homepage. Create a simple page with a consistent brand guideline that allows them to scan and infer your brand message quickly.
Leverage the Power of AI
Artificial intelligence continues to revolutionize how web designers work. You can improve your user interface and user experience by using AI and chatbots for your website. Chatbots function as your virtual assistants, providing quick solutions and directions for visitors on your site.
You can also leverage AI to improve your site’s accessibility. You can avoid potential lawsuits while capturing new audiences by making your content accessible to people living with disabilities.
Carefully Pick Out Your Images
You may need to avoid using generic ‘stock’ photos for your web pages. Stock images do not generate a sense of trust, despite the smiles. The generic images also make your website appear cheap, reducing your conversion rates.
You should invest in high-quality photos, preferably of staff that works in your company. You may need to show product images in use whenever possible. It may help the visitor visualize using the product.
You may need to ensure that the images are optimized and with the proper alt tags. Large image files can slow down your site speed, which can increase your bounce rates.
Use a Heat Map to Identify Your Most-Important Pages
You may be fighting shadows trying to figure out the sections on your site that you need to refine. A heat map plugin can provide a more comprehensive report on your visitors’ activity on the website than page views, click and bounce rates.
Heat maps can help you learn the sections that users scrolled past, where they stopped, and the links they clicked on while on your site. You can identify regions visitors view most and consider making adjustments to maximize usability.
Focus on Mobile Friendliness
Most search requests now occur over smartphones. You may need to ensure that your small business website is mobile responsive. Run a mobile-friendly test on your site. You may also need to figure out how your content appears on the desktop and mobile versions.
Search engines such as Google also acknowledge that most users access the internet through their mobile devices. Making your site mobile-friendly can increase your search ranking.
Use Calls to Action
A call to action (CTA) is arguably the most important component of your site, urging your leads to take action. The placement of your CTAs and their wording can affect the response to your site.
You may need to keep in mind your buyer’s journey. You may need to strategically place the CTAs in sections such as the top right of the navigation tab, at the bottom of your pages, or beneath areas that require the user to take action.
You can opt for buttons over in-line links. Play around with colors, texts, and fonts to identify the right combination to drive your click-through rates.
Create An Intuitive Navigation Template
Your site’s navigation is a detailed map that guides your visitors to the core sections. Users utilize the navigation template to quickly dive into areas they are interested in, such as contact information, products, or blogs.
A confusing layout can make it difficult for users to find a way around your site, increasing the bounce rate. Organize your website, making it easy to use. Take advantage of broad headings and subheadings to direct the visitors to the correct pages.
You may also incorporate a search box at the top right of your web layout. The search box can help visitors locate their desired pages instantaneously, improving your user experience.
Work On SEO
Your website ranking can influence the traffic that you receive for your web pages. You may need to improve your on-site and off-site SEO to maximize traffic and reduce bounce rates.
Carry out extensive keyword research. Identify phrases that your target audience use in their search and craft content that optimizes the keywords. In-site links can also help improve your crawlability on search engines.
Improve Your Site Speed
Users do not hesitate to bounce off a website that takes more than three seconds to load. Most tips on this guide, such as using the correct images and decluttering, can help optimize your page speeds.
Most web builders have tools that you can use to measure your site speeds. You may need to continually check the impact of your changes on your site’s speed. Increasing the speed at which your website loads can consequently improve your ranking.
Incorporate Share Buttons
Social media shares are one of the most effective ways to drive traffic to your site. Incorporating social media buttons on your site can make it easier for users to broadcast your brand message on their profiles, increasing your visibility.
However, placing your share buttons at the top of your website can be counterproductive. The social media handle can become a distraction, pulling visitors away from your site.
Add Social Proof
Most customers read through reviews first before making a purchase decision. While adding customer testimonials to your site can help build trust, you risk coming out as too salesy.
You may need to find creative ways to add social proof to your website content. You can create a dedicated testimonial page on your site. Additionally, you can opt for quotations as a tried and tested measure.
Videos are an excellent option but can slow down your site. You may need to ensure that the visual components are smaller and do not slow your loading speed.
Maximize White Space
Congested and tightly packed texts can make it difficult for users to read through your page. A skimming visitor may prefer jumping ship to your competitor’s site to figuring out your layout design and content.
You can give your site sections to breathe by utilizing the white space. The space can make your content legible and allow users to focus on the most important areas.
Watch Out on Your Readability Score
The content on your webpage may need to flow systematically. An easier-to-scan web page can increase traffic for your website and improve your conversion rates.
Determine the fonts size and types to use for your site. You may need to avoid too much technical jargon as it may leave visitors confused, increasing your bounce rate. Maximizing your white space is also an excellent way to increase your readability score.
Consider Incorporating Unique Web Tools
While plugins have the potential to slow down your site, certain utility tools can increase your visibility and traffic. Industry-specific tools, such as interest rate calculators or product size charts, can help fulfill a searcher’s intent. You can build on the trust formed to direct the lead down the sales funnel.
Carry Out Frequent Tests to Identify Your 404s and Other Errors
Your website improvement needs to be a continuous process. A common frustrating experience for most users is encountering a broken link error. Users may prefer finding solutions elsewhere, increasing your bounce rates.
You may need to regularly inspect your site for 404s and other types of errors. Broken links may paint a picture of irresponsibility. Worse still, the errors can affect your site’s crawlability, negatively affecting your organic search rankings.
You can utilize the webmaster’s tools to identify broken links and fix them. You may also need to continually test and review your website design to match the changing consumer behavior patterns and trends.
Transforming Your Small Business Website
Your website design is one of the most important marketing tools that you have as a business. Optimizing your website can help increase traffic, leads, and conversions in the long term. Putting the 15 tips above into practice can be an excellent place to start.
