Your business’ web presence is key to both attracting and retaining your customers. With the world increasingly moving online, how you present yourself within the digital sphere is going to make a big impact on sales. If you’ve recently had users complaining about how difficult your site is to use or you simply want an upgrade to seem more in touch with tech, you’ve come to the right place.
As a business owner, you might not know much about UX website design, JavaScript or php in web development, but there are plenty of ways you can give your existing site an overhaul. These tips will help you to appear more professional and allow your customers to find what they need more easily.
Navigation
When it comes to your navigation bar, sometimes less is more. Overcrowding your website with categories can leave customers feeling confused and lost. Having around five main categories with a few subheadings are more than enough to direct website visitors to the right pages. Once they’ve arrived, you can make it easy for them to filter products or search for different services from a clear list.
Keywords
SEO isn’t just for blogging. You can and should use the keywords you’re trying to rank for across your whole website, which will help pages rank higher in organic search results. If you’re finding SEO a challenge, you could reach out to an agency to help you refine your strategy.
Security
If you haven’t already made sure your website has an SSL certificate, you should do that at the next available moment. Websites without this aren’t secure and could leave your customers’ information at risk. Most users are aware of this and will be unlikely to make purchases on sites without the little padlock symbol. If you aren’t making many sales, this is likely the culprit.
Images
While images are important to have on any website, make sure they’re not too big. Images with a large file size will slow down your entire site, making pages difficult to open. Customers usually don’t have very much patience, so even a slightly slower loading speed could put them off. You’ll also want to make sure your images are of good quality and that they’re relevant to the information around them. Generic stock pictures likely won’t be doing much good, but clear images of your products can help customers make a decision.
Meta Descriptions
Did you know that you can control the text that appears in google search results? Meta titles and descriptions can help you to attract customers more effectively when they’re handcrafted. Make sure it’s clear what your page is about and add a call to action to encourage the customer to visit, make a purchase, or book a consultation.
Domain Name
If you’re currently using a free website platform, your URL probably includes the name of the platform as well. This can look unprofessional and may suggest to customers that your business isn’t legitimate. Having a clear domain name can not only make you appear more trustworthy, but it’s easier to remember as well.