Over 80% of internet users use search engines to locate services or products they want to purchase, and this means that business owners need to have a strong presence online to take advantage of this web exposure. It can be confusing as a business owner to navigate all the products available to increase your company’s online activity. It also might seem counterintuitive to invest in something that’s intangible — you can’t see customers going to your website, so how do you know if it makes a difference? If you hire a creative web designer, does it really boost sales?
The good news is, you can ask your IT managed services firm all of these questions before signing a custom software development agreement. But you should be aware of some basic facts before you consult with anyone. Businesses that blog have over four times as many indexed pages as those who don’t, and this can make a big difference. About three out of four web users in the U.S. say they judge a company by its web design. What does all of this mean? If you have a small business, web design tools are critical to your success. If you’re lost in all the technical terms used by IT managed services, here are some website features that should be included on your business’s website, and make sure they’re all clearly laid out in your custom software development agreement.
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1. A sitemap
Have you ever been to a confusing or complicated website and didn’t know how to navigate it, only to find yourself frustrated enough to leave the site and try again later? If customers visit your site and are not just browsing, but are looking for a specific area, it’s a good idea to include a sitemap so they can get there quickly and with minimal browsing.
2. An obvious, easy-to-find, “contact us” button
It’s important that your online website have a way for customers to contact you. Don’t require them to make an account or provide too much information, just give them a way to drop you a short note.
3. A good balance of text and graphics
The whole reason for a website is to convey information to customers, so it’s easy to find that each page has too much text. It’s a good idea to pick out the most important things about your company, and if there is more to be said about each subtopic, you can have links that give more information. Having too much text can overwhelm internet users and drive them away from the site.
4. Simple graphics
It can be tempting to put that dancing, singing, flashing graphic of the company mascot on the homepage, but this can increase the time it takes to load the website. You want this to be a fast, effortless experience for your customers, so use simple graphics.
Have you recently entered into a custom software development agreement? Do you have any tips on finding SEO for small businesses? Please let us know about your experience in the comments below. References.
