12 tips for a great small business website

These days, it’s almost impossible for a small business to be successful without a website. But with all that goes into making a website, how do you know what specific things to look for?

Your small business’ website is how your customers will find you and serves as a major point of interaction with many of them. To help you get the best website experience possible, we asked some entrepreneurs just like you to share their tips for a successful small business website.

Here’s what they told us:

• Design your website to be search engine friendly. If you don’t know how to do this, get help.
• Keep everything up to date.
• Make it easy for customers to get in touch with you. (Oh, and respond promptly when they do!)
• If you’re going to be offering e-commerce, make sure to choose your provider carefully to avoid customer service and security issues.
• Make sure your site is optimized for mobile and different screen sizes.
• Your site should be consistent with your branding and company image.
• If you’re having your webpage designed by a third party, take your time choosing that design agency or person. Check out their previous work and make sure you can all work well together.
• Autoplay videos are annoying for many people. Videos on a site can be great, but it’s better to allow the visitor the control over playing them.
• Test your site! Make sure the links work, the pages load, the text is legible, the colours match, and it’s easy to get around.
• Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) develops strategies, guidelines, and resources to help make the web accessible to people with disabilities — make sure your website meets WAI’s accessibility standards.
• Be sure your website can handle traffic loads.
• Keep your website relevant, keeping in mind what your visitors will be looking for (hours, services, prices, contact info, etc.). Resist the urge to write too much!

What do you think your fellow entrepreneurs should know about a successful website?