Having a website is important.

But simply having a website isn't enough.

Your small business website needs to work for your business. It should tell people what you do, explain why they should choose you, make it easy to contact you and help potential customers find you through search engines.

Whether you're building a new website or improving an existing one, here are 10 things every small business website needs.

1. A Professional Design

Your website is often the first impression a potential customer gets of your business.

A professional website doesn't necessarily mean an elaborate website. It means the design should look intentional, trustworthy and appropriate for your industry.

Your logo, colors, photographs, fonts, navigation and page layout should work together.

A good small business website should make visitors feel confident that they're dealing with a legitimate, professional business.

2. Mobile-Friendly Design

A huge percentage of website visitors use smartphones.

Your website needs to look good and work properly on:

• Smartphones
• Tablets
• Laptops
• Desktop computers

Buttons should be easy to tap. Text should be readable. Images should fit the screen. Forms should work on mobile devices.

A website that looks great on a desktop but is difficult to use on a phone can cost your business customers.

3. Clear Information About What You Do

Don't make visitors guess.

Your homepage should quickly answer three questions:

  1. What do you do?

2. Who do you serve?

3. Why should I choose you?

- If you are a plumber, say you're a plumber.

- If you're a restaurant, tell visitors what type of food you serve.

- If you're a real estate professional, explain the market you serve.

Clear communication is good for customers and good for search engines.

4. Easy-to-Find Contact Information

Make it easy for people to contact you.

Your website should prominently display appropriate contact options, such as:

• Phone number
• Email address
• Contact form
• Business address
• Hours
• Directions
• Social media

Don't make a potential customer search through five pages to find your phone number.

5. Strong Calls to Action

Every website should have a purpose.

Do you want visitors to:

• Call you?
• Request a quote?
• Schedule an appointment?
• Buy a product?
• Visit your store?
• Fill out a form?
• Sign up for something?

Tell visitors what to do.

Instead of vague buttons like "Click Here," use descriptive calls to action such as:

- Request a Free Estimate

- Schedule an Appointment

- Call Us Today

- Shop Online

- Get Started

6. Search Engine Optimization

Your website needs to be understandable to search engines.

That means creating useful content around the words and phrases your customers actually search for.

For a local business, that could include searches involving your:

• Business type
• Services
• Products
• City
• County
• Service area

SEO shouldn't mean stuffing the same keyword into every sentence. Google specifically warns against unnatural keyword repetition.

Instead, create useful pages that genuinely answer customer questions.

7. Fast, Reliable Website Hosting

A beautiful website doesn't help much if it constantly goes offline or performs poorly.

Reliable website hosting keeps your website available when customers want to visit it.

IWantAWebsite combines website design and hosting so small businesses can have one company handling the website from design through ongoing hosting and support.

8. Updated Content

A website should NEVER be treated as something you build once and forget.

 - Your business changes.

 - Your services change.

 - Your hours change.

 - Your products change.

 - Your photographs change.

 - Your website should change too.

Fresh, useful information also gives search engines more relevant content to understand.

9. Analytics

You need to know whether your website is working.

Analytics can help you understand:

• How many people visit
• Which pages they view
• Where visitors come from
• What devices they use
• Which content attracts visitors

IWantAWebsite's current website packages include integrated analytics and reporting.

10. Real Support

This is one of the most overlooked features of a website.

- What happens when you have a problem?

- Who do you call?

- Can someone help you make changes?

- Can you get assistance when something isn't working?

IWantAWebsite offers live support as part of its website packages, along with tools designed to make managing a business website easier.

Does Your Website Have All 10?

Your small business website should be more than an online brochure.

It should be a tool that helps you attract customers, explain your services, build credibility and generate business.

If your current website is outdated, difficult to manage or simply isn't producing results, it may be time for a change.



IWantAWebsite designs, builds, hosts and supports custom websites specifically for small businesses.