If you are reading this and you have a small business, it’s probably a given that you have a website already. But is your small business website effective? Take this test to find out.
Forget about statistics, page views and unique visitors for a moment – today I’m going to give you eight questions that will help you review the effectiveness of your website in two minutes.
How many of these can you answer yes to?
- My small business website is attractive, modern and fresh. I have a crisp, professional logo, consistent fonts and colours, attractive professional images and it’s the same size as other sites (variable widths or really narrow templates can be a sign of an out-of-date site).
- The goal of my website is clear and realistic (goals might include getting people to sign up or generating leads and converting these to purchases) and the site is clearly designed around this goal.
- I can easily edit my website myself and get easy access to affordable and expert hosting and support services (preferably from whoever I want; that is, I’m not locked into the one provider).
- My site offers great content, solving problems for people in my target market. It encourages people to “opt-in” so I can build my funnel and market to them later on. It drives potential customers to action and I measure all of this using a statistics program such as Google Analytics.
- I have a unique angle that appeals to potential customers (on an emotional level, if possible). This is showcased on the site and (ideally) supported via testimonials, names of customers and social proof.
- My site is personal and not corporate feeling; social media is integrated.
- Must-have items such as contact details, calls to action, opening hours (for retail) are all clearly indicated. Navigation is simple and effective.
- I rank well in Google for terms relating to my product or service (not just my company name); I rank for lots of different keywords (not just a few big ticket ones) and I also get traffic from sources other than Google.
How did you go?
You’ll notice from this list that for a small business website to be effective it’s not just a matter of having a good design or having it integrate the right technologies. An effective website starts with a great business that has an appealing marketing proposition, a committed owner and access to a team of experts in marketing, technology and design to get the message and the execution just right.
What did I miss? Please share below.