Increasingly, Britons are using the internet to research companies before they purchase goods and services. An effective website is essential in order to stand out from the competition and showcase your products and services. Turner Little discuss how to create the perfect website for your small business.
Catch consumer attention
The homepage may be the first introduction a consumer has to your business. According to Time Magazine, over half of people spend no more than 15 seconds on a website. It is therefore vital that the homepage catches the attention of your target audience instantly. The following tips should ensure that your website’s homepage persuades consumer to engage further with your business online.
Make it clear
Consumers should immediately understand which products and services your firm provides as soon as they land on your website. If they have to search for this information, they may click away, so it is vital you make it clear what your company does on the homepage.
Include a tag line which sums up the core ethos of your company on the homepage and put it in a prominent position, so potential customers see it within those crucial 15 seconds. You might also want to include a brief introduction to your company, along with relevant pricing, on your homepage to allow consumers to fully engage with your firm’s products and services.
Think about layout
The layout of your website is essential. If the way the portal is structured confuses consumers, they will leave your business in favour of a competitor which communicates more clearly. Think about visual features; pictures speak a thousand words. You may want to include images and videos on your homepage to engage effectively with visually-minded users.
Any layout should also be responsive in order to work on mobile phones and tablets. The majority of consumers in the UK now utilise these devices to perform online searches while on the move, so it is crucial that they can easily access your business’ website via mobile phones and tablets.
Colour is also important and needs to reflect the nature of your business. We would strongly suggest that you research colour options with your firms target audience. Use this information to determine the colour scheme you will adopt throughout your website. Finally, to catch a consumer’s eye within seconds, list your business’ most important information ‘above the fold,’ so they do not have to scroll down to learn about your service.
Create social opportunities
Increasingly, consumers are engaging with brands via social media. To harness social media’s ability to boost a business’ sales through virtual word of mouth, ensure you include sharing icons for your Facebook, Twitter etc. profiles on your website. You should aim to make it as easy as possible for users to talk about your business and share information, increasing levels of traffic to your website.
Harness the power of reviews
Research from Moz, an online marketing publication, suggests that 67% of people say that their purchasing decisions are effected by online reviews. In other words, if you include any positive reviews of your business on your homepage, you will increase your chances of fostering consumer trust. It is a good idea to list your Twitter feed, as well as any relevant testimonials and endorsements from industry publications which depict your company as a trusted provider of goods and services.
List calls to action
What is the purpose of your website? What do you want consumers to do after they visit? If you wish to use your business’ website for a particular purpose, you need to include a ‘call to action’ prominently on not just your homepage, but every page. Clear calls to action such as ‘buy now’ or ‘call us’ give your potential customers a clear avenue through which to engage further with your firm online, allowing you to utilise the portal to achieve its intended aim.
Turner Little
Your business needs to cultivate a distinct presence online to reach consumers who use digital channels to inform their purchasing decisions. Your company website serves as the foundation of your online marketing strategy, so ensure it appeals to consumers instantaneously. Turner Little provides the cost effective website design and development services your firm requires to succeed online.
Turner Little was founded in 1998 and it has since become a well-established UK based professional Company Registration Agent, Registered Bank Intermediaries and Business Consultants, as well as Trust provider.
