If you are a small business owner, time is a luxury. There is so much to do, so little time in the ‘real’ world, that you just can’t seem to prioritize your online presence. This is a very common predicament among both start-up companies and larger businesses alike. But as we move into more of a digital world, business is drastically changing and the way your customers and clients are searching for products and services is also.

When you are looking to buy a product or contract a service, where do you go to look? Nine times out of ten, you will be searching online. Even those who initially look for local businesses in the Yellow Pages, will most likely check out the website prior to calling.

We are living in a predominately self help society. Users would rather gather the information themselves first about your business and services and contact you if they are still interested. With the advent of smart phone technology, the majority of folks are now even bypassing the computer, and using search engines directly within the palm of their hands.

Your website is your storefront to the digital world and is just as important as your physical store or business location - and possibly even more so. Even if you do not have extensive resources to create a large interactive website, it is crucial to still hold a strong presence online.

1. Navigation of your website – Simplicity is Key!
   
   • A common mistake in most website design is not making it user friendly. Your website should be organized in such a way that a new customer will be able to find what they are looking for – information or products - in less than three clicks. Anything more than three clicks and it just becomes a frustrating process, most likely resulting in a lost customer and commission. A quick way to organize your website is to create a site map. This is text based and will map out how things link together – an example of this is HERE. MindApp (for PC) and Mindnode (for Macs), free mind-mapping software, are also good tools to keep in your arsenal. It allows you to visually map out your website in a simple format. Remember: Simplicity is key. Don’t litter your homepage with unnecessarily links. You want people to find the goods immediately in order to convert leads into sales.
   • Industry Standards: Do your research. Visit competitor websites and find out what they are doing – what works and doesn’t work. Customers are conditioned to have certain expectations from certain industry websites. For example, a user will go onto a women’s boutique website expecting to see the latest collections or hottest item directly on the homepage. Find out what the majority of your consumers are looking for - what information, what products, what promotions - and highlight this on the first page they land on.
     
   • If you have business contacts as well as consumers coming to your site, organize accordingly. Separate the two to avoid the website becoming muddled and filled with distractions from what the viewer is trying to find. Right off the bat - split the website up into the two sections (like a fork in the road).
2. Content – Keep it valuable and keep it fresh!
   
   • Valuable content: Make sure that the content on your website has value to your consumers, clients or business associates – otherwise there is no reason why they would want to read it. Content should have a purpose – to inform, to entertain and to connect. Remember: YOU ARE an expert in your industry or field of work, so take pride in that. Embrace web content as a way to get your voice, your opinions, skills, advice and trade secrets out there to market yourself as a resource. This will not only help your clients trust your business but will also help you network yourself to other industry professionals.
   • Fresh content: Just because you have a few good articles or blog posts on your website, doesn’t mean that you are done. Fresh content is why people will continue to revisit your website – even after they have purchased that one product that they came for initially. If you are not updating your content, there is no reason for them to return. Returning clients are not only more likely to repeat their business but also give you as a recommendation to their friends.
     
   • Social Media: Sign up your business to social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter. This is where you can post any upcoming deals, promotions, etc. Many of us don’t have time to regularly update multiple times a day but you should think about starting a foundation for your business on these sites. Social media is just beginning and it is here to stay! It is predicted to be THE leading referral to business websites. People are more likely to trust their friends' and aquaintances' recommendations on products and services than they are advertisements. Thus, they are using these sites to gain consumer information and product reviews. For more of a Social Media primer, please CLICK HERE.
   • SEO and meta-tagging: As important as they are to your website popularity and ranking, I am going to skip over them in this article for the sake of making these tips easy and straight forward. Optimizing your website is a strategic and ongoing process which gets complicated very easily. A future article will be devoted specifically to SEO.
3. Design – Keep it Relevant and Clean!
   
   • Design is a hard one to cover because every business will need to present their brand in a standard way that is relevant to their industry but, also, have it stand apart from the rest. Yeah, I know – it sounds confusing and complicated – and it really can be. Stick to your already established brand. Everything should fit together.
   • A good rule of thumb can be represented in one more: Cleanliness. Do NOT clutter your website with images that are just “pretty”. Flashing animations, in the form of GIFs, will kill any professionalism and make you look cheesy. Keep it clean. Everything should have a purpose - and if it doesn't, it shouldn't be there. Keep it professional. Look at Apple’s website. There is extensive white space and things look pretty simple, but you can’t deny the elegance, professionalism and elitist feeling you get from the presentation.
   • Another thing to keep in mind is: You are not selling the product to yourself. You have a demographic. The colours you choose, the images you select, the message you say – all need to have purpose. You don’t necessarily have to like the colour pink, but if you are selling personalized journals and stationary to 13 year old girls – it might be your best option to connect to your client. This should be already determined initially when you established your brand. Once again, stick to your brand. You should keep a seamless consistency across the board – business cards, letterhead, website, email signature, etc. to promote your brand and business.
   
   If your website is clean, easy to use, filled with great content and easy on the eyes – you’re already leaps and bounds ahead of the majority of people’s business websites. You cannot afford not to be active in your digital representation of your company as this is where the future of commerce is leaning. Not just for online shopping but the way an individual now gathers information about businesses and products that they wish to invest their money in. Remember: Your website is a 24/7, 7-day-a-week extension of your company. Take advantage of it!