In today’s world, having a top-notch website can be the deciding factor in whether your business takes off or not. No matter what type of industry you’re in, your website is probably the first thing customers will encounter when they discover you. Therefore, it’s crucial that you put your best foot forward online. Below, learn about five things you can do to make sure your website draws in customers rather than turning them away.
Optimize for Mobile Viewing
According to Statista, roughly half of all global web traffic comes from mobile devices. Given that so many of your visitors are coming to your site via a tablet or smartphone, it’s crucial that your website is mobile-friendly. Luckily, there are simple ways to convert your website so it displays correctly on a mobile device.
In addition to your website having mobile functionality, you will also want to optimize your content so that it’s easy to read and digest on a smaller screen. Text-heavy pages with long paragraphs are overwhelming to read on mobile devices, and can actually drive visitors away. Instead, using short paragraphs, bulleted lists and headings will create a much better reading experience on a mobile device.
Update Your Design
Optimizing your website for mobile viewing may prompt you to take another look at your design overall. Trends come and go, and design elements that might have looked great a few years ago may appear dated now. Even if all your website features work perfectly, you risk turning visitors away if your site looks outdated.
Start Blogging
Many businesses are hesitant to start a blog because it’s a large time commitment and it’s difficult to write or come up with ideas. However, The Balance points out that having a business blog allows you to boost web traffic, connect with future clients and stand out as an expert in your industry.
When starting a blog, think about how you can provide value to your readers. The best way to achieve this is to help them find easy solutions or learn something new. However, you shouldn’t write about anything you feel like. If you want to convert readers into clients, your topics should always be relevant to your business while appealing to your target audience.
Comply With Privacy Laws
No matter how easy your website is to read and how useful your content is, it doesn’t mean much if your visitors’ information isn’t protected when they come to your site. Having a privacy policy is one way to reassure visitors that their information is safe. A privacy policy essentially outlines what information your site collects and what you do with it.
Many small businesses don’t think they need a privacy policy, but leaving legal pages off your site makes you vulnerable to fines or lawsuits. By having legal pages such as a privacy policy, your website can comply with state, federal and international laws.
Outsource Tasks
A lot of work is involved in building and maintaining a great website, but you don’t have to be an expert. In many cases, hiring a professional web design group like Grand Lake Web Designs is the best way to improve the appearance or functionality of your site.
Even if you are a web expert, you don’t have to do every task yourself. For example, hiring someone to tackle calendar management, social media updates, customer support or other administrative tasks can free up a lot of your time.
Anytime you hire someone to help you, it might be in your best interest to run a background check so you know who you’re working with. When doing a background check, just make sure you comply with the rules laid out in the FCRA, which outlines what types of criminal history and credit information you’re allowed to consider when making hiring decisions.
A web presence is a must-have for small businesses these days. However, it’s not enough to just create a website. Making sure your site is mobile friendly, has good content and complies with the law are just a few steps that will allow your business to succeed online.
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