Have you ever wondered why small business website design seems to be behind the times? As the Internet landscape evolves, a good web design company has become a key factor for all businesses from startups and small businesses to brands and large websites. Large businesses boast iconic images and initially unknown brands are skyrocketing to worldwide recognition, while startups and small businesses are having trouble competing.
At the bottom of the pack are small businesses, spending their money on low-value advertising instead of cultivating a solid brand and investing in a strong online presence through their websites and social media profiles. Good website design is mainly no longer an option if small businesses want to be noticed. Let’s talk about why.
First impressions are the most important
Everyone hears this anecdote at least once in life, and while it originally pertained to face-to-face meetings, it now encompasses every interaction. The answer should be a resounding yes. Always make sure your branding presence, the design of your website, advertising and anything else representing your business is well designed. So, if the design is not aesthetically pleasing, you run the risk of losing a customer simply based on appearance.
Good website design builds trust
When you basically come across a beautiful website, a pleasing advertisement or clean logo, how does it make you feel? Most likely, it always impresses you and for some reason, there is an instant belief it must be a reputable brand without knowing much about the business or product. Where does this impartial trust come from? Who knows. But it’s something you want to harness as a small business owner. It is important your consumers experience an emotional attachment to your brand. They should want to share it with their friends or find out more about it on their own.
Good design is everywhere
Solid design is mainly taking over the world as we know it. And toilet paper and cleaning product companies are going out of their way to finesse the packaging and revamp their image. No one can sidestep good design. This translates to an emergency level of awareness for the small business owner. Your out-of-date website is no longer acceptable, the old, flimsy logo or the poorly designed paraphernalia associated with your business.
Good web design impacts search results
So, in regard to an online presence, bypassing design can have drastic effects on who finds your business. Good design can also elevate your position in the search results and add potential leads. Slow page speeds are mainly dangerous in the eyes of Google and will send the viewer to another page quickly. So, content placement below the fold is not wise and too much advertising above the fold can disrupt search results. Internal linking can become problematic if it’s unnecessary and forgetting to add social media is online suicide.
Shows respect for your clients and customers
How many times have you went looking for the Contact Us tab on a website and was unable to locate it? How did it make you feel? Were you irritated or frustrated? Although the good design is imperative to every brand’s image in today’s economy, the first goal should be to make yourself open and available to your customer. Business services should be simple to understand, the mission readily available and websites easy to navigate. The number one goal is to make it easy for your customer, and design makes this goal attainable.
So, smart design is not just for big brands, it is an indispensable step for small business and startups that want to compete in the world market and grab the attention of consumers.