Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy, and yet many of these businesses don’t have great websites. This is largely due to a misunderstanding of what UX design for small business websites should look like. Small biz sites are often overlooked when it comes to the design process. But with over half of the world’s population running businesses from their homes, it’s important to understand what makes a small business website effective and engaging. Today we’ll explore some of the key considerations for UX design in small business websites and provide tips on making your website more user-friendly. Let’s dive right in!
Aesthetically Pleasing
Your website is often the first impression potential customers will have of your business. In today’s age, that first impression is more important than ever. With so much competition out there, you need to do everything you can to stand out from the crowd. That’s where aesthetics come in. A well-designed website not only looks good but also tells potential customers that you’re a professional operation that takes pride in its appearance.
While many factors go into creating a good user experience (UX), aesthetics play a big role. An aesthetically pleasing design can help make your website more user-friendly and engaging, leading to more conversions. Not sure where to start? Here are a few examples of small businesses with excellent UX design:
- Example 1: www.123abcgardencenter.com
- Example 2: www.petsitllc.com
- Example 3: www.apexlawncareinc.com
As you can see, all of these websites are aesthetically pleasing and easy to navigate. They also all contain clear calls to action, which is another vital element of good UX design. So, if you want to give your small business website a facelift, don’t forget about the power of aesthetics.
Easy to Navigate
As the internet has become increasingly saturated with websites vying for attention, small businesses must have visually appealing and easy-to-navigate sites. Studies have shown that if a website is difficult to navigate, users will go to a different site that offers a better user experience. In fact, a recent study by Google found that 61% of users say they are less likely to return to a website if they had difficulty accessing it, and 50% say a bad mobile experience made them less likely to buy from a company.
So, what makes for an easy-to-navigate UX design? Below are three important factors:
- A Clear And Straightforward Homepage
The homepage is often the first thing users will see when they visit your site, so it is important to ensure that it is clear and concise. All of the information on the page should be easy to find and understand.
- A Simple And Consistent Menu
Your site visitors should be able to effortlessly find what they are looking for on your site without getting frustrated. An intelligent way to achieve this is by having a simple menu at the top of the page that is easy to understand and consistent throughout the different pages on your site.
- Intuitive Design
The overall design of your site should also be intuitive and compelling. This means using familiar conventions such as putting the search bar in the top right-hand corner and using drop-down menus where appropriate.
Informative
An innovative small business owner knows that every penny counts and that their website is a vital part of the marketing strategy. It’s one of the first places potential customers will go to learn more about your products or services.
Smart UX design for small business sites makes their products easy and enjoyable. It considers a user’s age, online habits, and even the devices they use to access your site. When done well, UX design can significantly impact your bottom line. A study by Forrester Research found that every dollar invested in UX brings 100 in return – that’s like 100% ROI!
Imagine you own a small e-commerce store that sells handcrafted jewelry. Your target customer is 25-35 years old, female, and lives in an urban area. She’s constantly on the go and doesn’t have much time to browse your entire product catalog.
With that in mind, your website should be designed with simplicity and ease of use. The layout should be clean and easy to navigate, with clear labeling for each page and product category. Each product page should include high-quality photos and well-written descriptions. And there should be a prominent search bar that allows users to quickly find what they’re looking for.
In short, your website should be easy for busy urban women to find what they’re looking for – without any frustration or headaches. By investing in good UX design, you’ll be able to increase sales and drive more traffic to your site – all while providing an enjoyable experience for your users.
Secure
Small businesses have a lot to gain from investing in UX design. A well-designed website can help them stand out from the crowd, make it easy for customers to find the information they need, and build trust and credibility. But perhaps most importantly, a well-designed website can help small businesses stay secure. Here are three reasons why UX design for small business websites should be well-protected:
- Hackers target small businesses more than ever before.
- Small businesses can’t afford to lose customer data.
Investing in UX design is important for small businesses for many reasons—but perhaps most importantly, it can help them stay safe. With cybercrime on the rise and customers becoming more concerned about data privacy, investing in UX design is one of the best ways small businesses can protect themselves against potential threats. Making security a priority lets small businesses create websites that look good and safeguard their customers’ data.
Fast Loading Times
As we mentioned, 61% of mobile site visitors will leave a page that takes longer than 3 seconds to load. That means nearly half of your potential customers could be gone before they even see what you have to offer – big numbers, right? Google’s algorithms favor fast-loading sites, so if your site is slow, it will be harder for potential customers to find you. Moreover, if you have such a lousy loading eCommerce site, every second delay could cost you precious sales. In fact, Amazon has estimated that a 1-second delay in page load time can cost them $1.6 billion in sales each year.
Since nobody likes waiting around for a page to load, the UX design for small business sites should be quick to load. If you ensure that, users will likely stick around and explore what you offer. What’s more, the longer a page takes to load, the more energy it uses – both from the user’s device and the server hosting the website. So not only is a fast-loading site better for your bottom line, but it’s also better for the planet!
Here are five ways to improve the loading times of your site:
- Invest in a good web host
- Optimize your images
- Minimize HTTP requests
- Use a content delivery network
- Avoid external scripts and stylesheets
With these tips in mind, one can improve the UX design for small business websites and make them more user-centric.
Why is UX for Small Business Websites Crucial?
After all these stats and points, you might wonder what UX is and why it’s important. Here’s why:
- First impressions matter. We’ve all heard the saying, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” This is especially true when it comes to your website. If users have a bad experience on your site, they will likely click away and never return. That’s why you must keep your site clean, organized, and easy to navigate. First impressions matter because they can determine whether or not a user will stay on your site long enough to learn about your products or services.
- Positive UX can help you stand out from your competition. In today’s digital world, countless businesses are competing for attention online. Creating a seamless, intuitive user experience can help you stay ahead of the game and attract more customers.
- A user-friendly website experience can help you boost sales and conversions. If users can easily find what they’re looking for on your site, they’re more likely to make a purchase. Creating a positive user experience should be one of your top priorities if you want to boost sales and grow your business.
Overall, the importance of UX for small businesses cannot be overstated. Creating a good UX can help you attract new customers, boost sales, and compete with larger enterprises.
Rounding Up
As a small business, your UX must focus on value provision and navigation. It will enable you to give your customers the information they need while steering them toward your desired actions. By understanding what users need and want and making it easy for them to find what they’re looking for, businesses can create a positive user experience that leads to repeat customers. This will result in a more positive experience for your users, which can lead to increased loyalty and conversions. So don’t underestimate the importance of UX – focus on making it a priority in your small business, and you’ll reap the rewards. Thanks for reading!