What Your Business Website Needs to be Effective

Despite the seemingly obvious need for a professional business website, only 73% of U.S. small businesses had a website in 2023, and an eye opening 30% of startups were without one entirely, as reported by Science Direct.

Modern lives underscore the urgent need for small businesses to invest in web design and digital presence. A professional website enhances your online visibility and empowers you to reach a wider audience and compete effectively in the digital marketplace. 

While this lack of digital presence isn't limited to specific sectors or industries, the shocking lack of consideration paid to this aspect of marketing visibility just goes to show that not everybody is aware of the benefits of having a website and the importance of web design.  

However, it is imperative that businesses have a good digital presence and a website because 99% of consumers used the Internet last year to find information about a local business. The survey on dolocal.co.uk also found that 78% of internet users find local business information online more than once.

Plus, a new report from Visual Objects found that 76% of consumers look for a company's online presence before visiting in person. This means that without a digital presence, you could be losing out on a significant number of potential customers. 

Now that you understand how important it is to have a website and digital presence for customers to find you, we'll discuss exactly what that website needs and what good web design features you should include to build an effective website for your business. 

Clear and Professional Web Design

Before anything else, your business website must exude a clear and professional design. A cluttered homepage with mismatched visual elements or poor usability will immediately deter visitors. This reiterates the importance of a clear and professional web design, which attracts visitors and enhances their browsing experience, making them more likely to stay on your site and engage with your business. 

Your website needs to be clear, organized, structured, and visually appealing. It also needs to appeal to users and be easy for them to find exactly what they need.

Your website needs to follow the natural eye movement, which is left to right in an A to Z pattern. For example, when a person first looks at a website, they go to the logo and scale left across the right, down, and then left again.

Your web design needs to follow this pattern to make it easier for people to find exactly what they need. This format must be followed through all of your content, calls to action, lead generation forms, and anything else on your website. 

This is where working with a professional web design agency can be beneficial. You need a bespoke web design that is engaging and interactive, and clearly states your USP and the information people need to see as soon as they land on your website.  

Mobile Responsiveness

Your website needs to be mobile-responsive. These days, over 60% of web traffic comes from smartphones and tablets. And if your website doesn't adapt seamlessly to display correctly across all devices, regardless of screen size, customers will close the page. You need to offer a smooth, intuitive user experience irrespective of the device the user is using when they access your website.

First impressions count, and for small businesses, the last thing you want to be doing is making a poor first impression because you neglected to ensure that your website is mobile-responsive. 

Fast Loading

Your website needs to load as quickly as possible. A maximum of three seconds is often stated for website speed. This is because people do not want to wait for websites to load or struggle to navigate around a website that takes forever for each page to load.

Website speed optimization is also essential for search engines. Load times play a significant role in the user experience, and search engines prioritize the user experience. So, while you may have the best web design and most informative content and follow all other SEO rules, if your website takes too long to load, Google will not prioritize it. 

Effective Contact Forms

Communication is key for businesses, and if customers cannot easily reach you, they'll just go elsewhere. For this reason, all business websites need clear and accessible contact forms. Your contact forms can be for anything relating to your business. Be it booking inquiries, quote requests, or general questions, forms are an easy and convenient way for users to get in touch with your business. 

To further impact your ability to succeed, customized forms can help you collect specific data and even automate replies. Contact form details, coupled with other forms of contact, i.e., email addresses, phone numbers, and business addresses, can boost communication between businesses and customers and help you respond faster and more efficiently because customers are directed to the right place to contact you.