It can be hard sometimes to run a small business, especially if you don’t have any staff to support you.  A lot of different things need your attention and there’s just not enough time in the day to get through your to-do list. When that happens, your website can sometimes be one of the first things that gets neglected. However, your website is an important part of having your product seen, it’s your virtual shop window and can play a huge part in whether you get new customers or not. So here are some tips and things to think about that will help you to get the most out of your website with only a small amount of investment:

Keep on top of rolling content.

Advertising specifically around key dates in the calendar is a common marketing tool, but it’s all too easy to forget it’s still published and have it still up way past it’s sell-by date. I often see Christmas information still live in January. Out of date content sticks out like a sore thumb and can be the deciding factor between someone becoming a customer or not. If you decide to add time-specific content to your site, stick a reminder in your calendar to remove it as soon as it’s out of date. If you can’t keep on top of the ever-changing content, it’s probably better not to have it or just share it on social media.

Keep it simple

Overcomplicating your website is a common mistake to make and often leaves you with more work to do. When building a website, identify the key parts of your business, structure your website accordingly and then stick to it. Sometimes it means making tough choices but it’ll be worth it in the end. If there’s more you want to share with people about your business, your social media channels are the best place for it. Keeping a simple, uncluttered website will get your future customers to the information you want them to see quickly. A simple user journey from homepage to purchase will make a huge difference.

Show don’t tell

A picture tells a thousand words, which is why it’s always better to show your product/business through photos wherever possible. Wherever you have text, keep things short and snappy, no-one has time to read paragraphs of information, especially if you fill it with long words and complex language. High-quality images (pay for professional photography if you can) and simple text will be a winning combination and will save you time in the long run.

Easy to find contact details

When choosing where to place contact details, pick somewhere really obvious. The best options are: in a clearly visible place on the home page or on the bottom of every page. There’s nothing worse than needing to make contact with a business and not being able to find a way to contact them. Whilst we’re here, include multiple different ways to get in contact, not everyone wants to make a phone call, and supply information on what time phone calls/emails will be answered.

Make it mobile-friendly

With huge percentages of people now accessing many websites on their mobile phone, it’s unforgivable to have a website that doesn’t adapt to different screen sizes. All major website builders now include responsive designs and all design agencies build them as standard now. If you’re not sure if yours is or not, simply visit your own website on your phone and see what it looks like. This will also give you an idea what the content looks like on a smaller screen, is the most important information easy to find?

Strong branding is key

How clear and recognisable is the logo on your website? Is your website designed using the same colours as your brand? Having a strong brand and sticking to it really helps you be seen and remembered. There’s a reason why large organisations have very strict rules as to how their logo and branding colours can be used. Use this same strictness with your own small business and create a branding document to clearly define the logo and what colours your business will use. This will help any design agency or anyone looking after your website to keep things consistent. Don’t forget to use the same logo and brand on your social media channels and printed promotional literature.