15 Simple Tips and Examples for Small Business Website Design

 It may seem that having a website for your small business is sufficient. almost 30% small businesses don’t have one, so it’s a good place for a start.

Unfortunately, in today's digital world, it's too little. Your small business website design can significantly impact the success of your marketing and your business.

Ben Miller, the founder of web design firm Focus on Digital said that great web design goes beyond how it looks. It's essential to have a beautiful website. But there's more.

"A great website blends layout, design, function in a way that delivers an integrated, seamless, user-friendly experience to the viewer."

This post will outline 15 best practices for small business website design (with examples), to help you stand out online.

15 tips for small business website design

These expert small-business website design tips will help you create a site that works.

1. Select the best domain name

First, you need to get the right domain name. You want something simple but professional, explained Andreas Johansson UX , UX specialist at his agency Andreas Johansson UX .

He said that it should be simple to remember and spell and relevant to your industry.

Choose your URL and include relevant information.

Nick Antonopoulos (founder of digital marketing agency Search Engine Optimization Chicago) stated that clients want the address to be easy to remember and searchable by potential clients. 

"As you can see, our address, seodesignchicago.com, says exactly who we are and our company name."

2. Find the best web hosting platform.

Additionally, you will need to choose a web hosting platform as well as a content management software (CMS).

Isla Sibanda is a cybersecurity specialist for VPN review site Privacy Australia and recommends choosing a platform that offers good tech support.

She said that a small business only has a certain amount of money to invest. When building your website, it is important to make an informed, smart investment in website hosting services.

Antonopoulos also agreed, noting that platforms like InMotion, DreamHost, and GoDaddy offer a variety of server options and security, at different price points. It's up you to decide which platform is best for your business.

Sibanda also suggested that you invest in a quality CMS because it "will not require your to have an enormous amount of technical knowledge."

There are many options available, including WordPress, Drupal and Magento, Joomla. Squarespace, Shopify and WooCommerce. She said that the best fit depends on user-friendliness, extensibility and budget.

A custom CMS can also be built. Marc Stitt (CMO at operations management firm FMX) said that a custom CMS allows site owners easy access to their websites.

He argued that small business owners find it difficult to use the popular content management systems due to their one-size fits all approach. You might consider a CMS that's tailored to your business's needs.

3. Select the best website layout

After you have the basics down, you can start to plan your site layout.

Whatever method you choose, keep it simple and use a clear hierarchy to organize your site content.

Adam Ng, CEO of product review website Trusted Malaysia, stated that when we think about web design, it's easy for us to think of images, videos and fonts. "But, the most important of all them is the information hierarchy...it’s the primary means users will engage with your content."

Alex Lefkowitz is the founder of Tasty edits. This means tapping into one page design. He stated that "all the important information should be accessible on the first page simply by scrolling down,"

This approach is inspired by the tech giant Apple.

4. The design structure is what you should be focusing on

Experts recommend that small businesses choose a simple, clean site design.

Sally Stevens, cofounder of search site FastPeopleSearch.io said that cluttering your website with unnecessary features doesn't make it better. When building a website, the first thing you should consider is the user and how it feels. You should not add any unnecessary weight to your website.

David Stellini, cofounder of design firm All Front stated that small businesses should be human-centric in order to create effective websites.

Chris Song, senior vice-president for business development at the energy transmission company ADC Energie, said it is important to consider your user's cognitive burden when designing your product. For example, confusing your audience with too many colors, graphics, or content is a sure way to confuse them.

Instead, create a style manual to guide basic elements such as typography and color palette. Stellini stated that it is as simple as following your style guide through the entire process. To make it easier to navigate, you should include white space.

Stellini cited his site as an example, as it presents the main offering immediately and then asks visitors for a category to help them with content.

5. Your site pages should be consistent

Another goal of web design should be consistency. Also, avoid using different design elements on different pages.

Kathryn Smithson is the CMO of social media agency PassSocial. She stated that "the overall layout and design for all pages should be identical." This is why businesses should consider redesigning their sites in 2022.

Khunshan Ahmad is a crypto expert at the stock review site The Stock Dork. He agreed that consistency goes beyond elements such as style and color to include writing tone.

He said that Airbnb was a great example site that has a consistent layout. Visitors can easily navigate each Help page without confusion because they all have the same layout.

6. Prioritize user experience

Similar to this, user navigation may be one of the most important considerations when building a website.

Petko Georgiev is the founder of software development company Milenix Software. He recommends following simple usability patterns.

He said that people already have expectations about the organization and function of different pages. They expect links to look like clickable hyperlinks, the navigation to be at the top of your page and the home page button on the left-hand side of the top menu. Save yourself the trouble of reading 'Don’t Make Me Think' by Steve Krug.

Or, in other words, make sure to integrate clear navigation menus that users can easily find where they want, according to Morshed Alam (editor at Savvy Programmer).

Rithy Thul, co-founder of blockchain platform Selendra.org said that "one of the things that attract visitors and make them continue scrolling is the ease with which a website can navigate." A website design is not only about its appearance. It should also consider the practicality and creativity of placing these icons where they are most easily seen and accessible to visitors.

Aseem Kishore (founder of the tech tip site Help Desk Geek), agreed. He noted, "If there is one thing that matters in a small business website it is its ease of navigation and user-friendliness." A complicated website design will frustrate no matter how tech-savvy a person may be.

Christiaan Huynen is the CEO of design agency DesignBro. He said Spotify was a great example of a site that has an effective organization.

He said, "Their elite use text arrangement and size diverts attention to the company’s mission before any other thing," he continued.

Rahul Gulati, the founder of web design company GyanDevign Tech Services, has praised Facebook's Lead Guru agency as a positive example. His "clear-defined headings [that] articulate Lead Guru Content is focused on users’ problems and the results they have obtained."

Similar: Get practical steps to conduct a website audit with templates ).

7. Make pages for specific products or services

You will also need pages to promote your products or services.

Roberto Torres, an online marketer The Local Marketinger recommends that each detail page be dedicated.

He said that each of these product or service pages could be linked internally from a summary page and product page. This gives ample internal linking opportunities and provides structure to the site. The URL structure can reflect navigation. /services/services-A is the product page, while /services/services-A is the service or product page.

He said they have a page for each service that summarizes them all. Each service then has its own page with more details and a gallery.

8. Remember to visit the About Us page.

When you are deciding what elements to include in your About Us page, make sure it is included.

This is according to Adam Fard who heads design at his own agency. He said that many small businesses neglect this page and miss the opportunity to create a relationship with potential clients. To help cement this bond, include details such as what the brand does and the brand story. Don't use stock photos.

As an example, he pointed to Coelihack in Australia, which sells gluten-free products. They also provide information about the company, including details about its directors and their purpose.

Ryan Webb, the founder of software guide appIntent, said that brands that fail to clarify what they do to their site visitors are at risk of losing them.

He said, "It might seem boring to have a homepage title that says "We Sell the Best-Tasting coffee in New York," but this is far more effective then opening your website with slow animations or videos saying, "We believe fair trade, how each farm provides a unique flavor bean, and how each farmer should earn a fair living."

Webb stated that while a large brand such as chocolate bar giant Tony Chocolonely may be able to do it without any problems, smaller brands should get the message across faster.

9. Search functionality added

A search box can make site navigation simpler.

Sharon Winton, director marketing at GoMontana shopping guide, said that it should be prominently visible so people can see it immediately. This is exactly what the Go Montana website has done. This, in turn, improves the customer experience.

She stated that customers today want fast results and don’t have time to scroll through websites and find irrelevant information. A search box makes everything easier for customers and your website more user-friendly.

10. Create the perfect call-to-action

Site visitors will also be influenced by your call-to-action (CTA).

Georgiev points out that a CTA can be used to help potential customers move down the sales funnel.

Faizan Fahim is a junior marketer at tech company Spacelift. He advises that the CTA language should be clear to ensure visitors know exactly where they are going once they click it. Avoid vague text such as "Get Started" or "Sign up Now." Instead, emulate brands such as software platform Trafft that encourage visitors to "Try Now For Free" or web hosting platform Hoster or cloud hosting platform Serverguy. These invite visitors to talk and discuss and then make the next steps clear.

Jonathan Tian, cofounder of the Whatsapp management tool Mobitrix, stated that "the easier it is for people to take the next steps, the more they are willing to follow." It creates a great user experience by guiding them rather than letting them guess what to do next.

11. The right visual elements should be balanced

The overall balance between visual elements is another design consideration.

Huynen stated that Accessibility and business objectives must all be balanced in order to achieve the best website effect. Simple and straightforward features are best to ensure that accessibility is a driving factor in the business's long-term and short-term goals. While many designs are possible to achieve this balance, it is important that all elements coordinate for customer satisfaction and better lead generation.

This balance can be achieved by making sure that all visuals serve a purpose.

It's easy to be too enthusiastic about including videos and pictures on websites. Jeff Mains, CEO, software company Champion Leadership Group, stated that graphics and videos create far more interaction than text alone. You should avoid overcrowding websites with unnecessary graphics. You should strive to find a balance between text, visuals and images that are useful.

12. Include your contact details

Make sure you include contact information so prospects and customers can get in touch easily.

Mark Daoust, CEO, Quiet light, which assists entrepreneurs in buying and selling internet businesses, said that many small business websites fail to provide clear contact information. Your website should clearly display your email address, as well as your social media accounts. This allows customers to quickly reach you and helps to identify you as a legitimate company.

Jon Bennion is the CEO of digital marketing agency Web Marketing Gurus. He noted that social media buttons can also provide social proof that can influence visitor's purchase decisions.

He said, "Your website design should emphasize elements that provide social proof, such customer testimonials, and reviews, client videos or awards, as well as links to online media where your company was featured."

This is an example of a clean brand Good vibes.

13. Respect privacy laws

You should also consider how the site will notify users of cookies - at least until Google ceases to support them.

Webb stated that "most designers don't think about it."

14. Use responsive design

This group of top tips includes making sure your website is mobile-friendly and responsive. This makes it easier for visitors to visit your site from a variety of devices, which ultimately leads to higher conversions.

Sites that are responsive can adapt to the device they are being used. Howard Birnbaum, the founder of the electric fireplace brand Magik Flame stated that 93% of consumers will leave a website that isn't optimized to their device.

Birnbaum says that file-sharing site DropBox is an excellent example of a site which has created a personalized experience for each device. This results in a seamless customer experience.

He said that Dropbox did an amazing job creating a fluid grid with visually appealing visuals. Its font color can be changed according to the background of your device. Image orientation also changes, maximizing user experience.

15. Speed up your site

Site speed is another important consideration. This is because people have little patience for slow websites, and also because Google ranks site speed , Georgiev stated.

You can speed up your website by shrinking images and minimizing animations.

Alam stated, "Do not use Flash animation unless absolutely necessary." Use CSS animations whenever possible.

When evaluating web hosting providers, site speed should be taken into account.

Vaibhav Kakkar (CEO of digital marketing company Digital Web Solutions) stated that choosing reliable hosts can reduce the loading time for your website. "Typically, the cheapest monthly hosting service doesn't provide the best value. Although it may seem cheap, it's likely to be inefficient and unreliable.