Website Promotion

5 Ways to Improve Your Business Website

Is your business website serving your business’s purpose, or hurting it? If you don’t know for sure that it is promoting your business’s interests, these five suggestions will help you fine-tune your site and make it work more effectively for you.

1. Use a clean, attractive, modern design. Web design has changed a lot in the last few years. If your site looks as if it has not been updated since 1999, visitors may not take you seriously. On the other hand, if your site is cluttered and full of unnecessary bells and whistles, your visitors may not be able to find what they’re looking for. A clean, professional look will lend your site credibility and make it easy to use. Website development has advanced in recent years and you can have a beautiful site quite affordably.

2. Provide clear navigation. Most people come to your website looking for something. Use clear labels for your navigation links. Cute names may seem like fun, but if people don’t understand them, they can’t use them. Include links to the major sections of your site on every page, at the top or side. Consider adding a second navigation bar, with additional links, to the bottom of your page.

3. Tell visitors who you are and what you do. A few years ago, splash pages were popular. Visitors first saw a large image and then clicked through to visit the site. Now, people expect information when they hit your site. Your home page should say who you are and what you do. Remember, though, that people enter your site through other pages, as well. Fill each page with information relevant to its title.

4. Provide contact information, preferably at the bottom of every page of your site. The largest percentage of your visitors will not actually contact you, though some will. The main reason for providing full contact information is credibility. Visitors will trust you more if they know they can contact you.

5. Tell visitors what you want them to do. If you want visitors to sign up for your email list, say so. Put the signup box in plain sight. Give only one action option for page. If you want them to buy something, put that on a different page. Make your call to action very clear.

These five suggestions will make your business website much more effective. If you’re in the Chicago area, many Chicago web designers can help you to build a great website.