7 secrets to a successful website

If you run a business you already know you need a website. The harder question is what separates one that brings in enquiries from one that simply sits there.

Your website is often the first thing a potential customer sees when they look you up, so it has to be clear, credible and easy to use. Here are seven things that make the difference.

1. Make sure your site works on phones

Responsive website design means one site that adapts to whatever it is viewed on, from a phone to a large desktop monitor. Most people will find you on a phone, so this is not a nicety.

If your site is awkward on a small screen, visitors leave. Google also assesses the mobile version of your pages when working out how to rank you, so a site that only works properly on a desktop costs you twice over.

The usual approach is to design for the small screen first and expand from there, rather than squeezing a desktop layout down. That tends to produce larger text, bigger tap targets and simpler navigation, which is better for everybody. Those are decisions about user experience and website design as much as about technical build.

2. Write clear, concise copy

Content that is easy to read gets read. Content that is hard work gets abandoned, however good the offer underneath it.

Three reasons this matters. Plain copy is more likely to be read to the end, which counts when you are explaining something important. It is more likely to be passed on, because people share things they understood first time. And it is more likely to be remembered, which is exactly what you want when somebody is comparing three suppliers a week later.

In practice that means short sentences, no jargon, the main point at the top of the page rather than the bottom, and headings that say plainly what each section is about.

3. Use good images, and make them relevant

People respond to pictures, and sharp, well chosen photographs make a site look like a real business. Blurry stock shots of anonymous people shaking hands do the opposite.

Two things are worth getting right. The first is relevance: a photograph of your actual premises, your team or your finished work is worth more than anything from a stock library. The second is file size. Large unoptimised images are the most common reason a site loads slowly, so have them compressed and sized properly before they go anywhere near the page.

4. Make it easy to share your content and find you on social media

Social links and share buttons are worth having, and it is worth being accurate about what they actually do for you.

They make it simple for someone to pass a page on, and they let a visitor check that you exist and are active, which helps you look like a going concern. Over time that sharing puts your name in front of people who would never have found you through search.

What they do not do is directly improve your search rankings. Shares and likes are not a ranking factor, whatever you may have read in an older article on the subject. The indirect benefit is real, though: content that gets shared tends to pick up links from other websites, and links do count.

5. Tell people what to do next

A call to action is the part that asks for the next step: ring us, email us, book a call, fill this in. Without one, a visitor who liked what they read has nowhere obvious to go.

Put one at the end of every page that matters, and make it specific. Get a quote for your kitchen works far better than a grey button marked submit. Keep a phone number and a short form within easy reach, and do not bury the form three clicks deep in a contact section.

6. Show evidence from real customers

Testimonials build trust, because people want to know that somebody else has had a good experience before they commit their own money.

They also deal with objections on your behalf. If people hesitate over price, a customer explaining why the work was worth paying for answers that far better than anything you can write about yourself. Keep them specific and genuine: a short quote naming the job and the outcome is worth more than a page of unattributed praise.

7. Put your contact details where they cannot be missed

This sounds obvious and it is forgotten constantly. Your phone number, email address and location should be easy to find from every page, which usually means the header and the footer rather than a contact page alone.

It matters for two reasons. A customer with a question will give up quickly if they have to go hunting. And consistent name, address and phone details across your site and your online listings help you appear in local searches, which is where a great many small business enquiries start.

FAQ

How do I tell whether my website is any good?

Look at outcomes rather than looks. Are people finding it, staying on it, and contacting you? Check how many visitors arrive from search, how many leave immediately, and how many enquiries you get in a month. A handsome site that generates no enquiries is not working. An ordinary one that does is.

Does my site need to work on phones if most customers ring me?

Yes. Most people will look you up on a phone before they ring, and a site that is awkward to read on a small screen loses them at that point. Google also assesses the mobile version of your pages when deciding how to rank you, so a desktop only site is doubly penalised.

How many testimonials should I use?

A handful of specific ones beats a long wall of praise. Three or four that name the job, the problem and the result will do more than twenty saying great service. Put them near the relevant page rather than hiding them all on a testimonials page nobody visits, and never write them yourself.

How often should I update my website?

Content as often as you have something worth saying, which for most small businesses means monthly rather than daily. The software underneath needs checking more regularly than that: updates to the platform, the theme and any plugins should be applied at least monthly, with a backup taken first.

Where to start

You do not have to do all seven at once. Work through them in order, fix the worst thing first, and you will usually notice the difference in enquiries before you notice it in your traffic figures.

If you would rather have someone go through your site and tell you honestly which of these it is falling down on, that is a conversation we are glad to have. We are based in Sale and work with small businesses across the area. Get in touch and we will take a look.