Originally published on geekfence.com
Young entrepreneur Bryn Carden balances earning an undergraduate degree at Texas Christian University (TCU) while growing her two businesses, Styles for Smiles and BF Hats. One of the primary reasons why such a life balance is possible for Carden is because she can successfully manage her businesses on online platforms through e-commerce sales on the brands’ websites. Carden says that developing a great business nowadays starts with building a well-thought-out website. The design of a website for small businesses involves critical thinking, which is why Carden offers these ten tips to help when creating a profit-boosting business website:
1. Pick a reliable domain name
The first step to building a website is choosing a domain name. The domain selected will be the website address people will use to visit the website. Make sure domain names are easy for customers to remember; the shorter, the better.
2. Focus on a simple yet inviting design
When piecing together a website design, treat it similar to how adequate retail space is set up: clutter-free. Simple yet captivating web pages will make clear messaging and customer navigation easier.
3. Incorporate capturing leads
One critical way that websites contribute to a business’s success is through lead generation. Websites that provide perks such as a free download or discount code for visitors who sign up for email notifications generate a higher return on investment.
4. Clearly state what the business does
Small business owners who strategize on how to communicate best what purpose they serve as an organization are more likely to execute clear messaging on their website.
5. Design with consumer navigation at the forefront
If customers have difficulty navigating a website, their chances of returning or following through with a sale dwindle.
6. Make contact information easy to find
A business website is a perfect place for contact information to be displayed. Easily discoverable contact information adds to providing good customer service.
7. Collect and add customer testimonials
A brand’s online platform should display proactive information that serves a specific purpose. Businesses that add customer testimonies to their website lean towards building consumer trust.
8. Think about keywords and SEO
SEO (search engine optimization) plays a significant role in ensuring a company’s website rankings on search engines based on keyword association. To select the most successful keywords to incorporate into a website’s text, back-end research on search frequency with words revolving around target audience interest is required.
9. Generate traffic
Continuous traffic that comes through a website is suitable for search engine rankings and boosting SEO. The more visible a website is for those using a search engine, the more traffic opportunities. To create incoming traffic after launching a website, business owners want to design the website with value in mind. Publishing content that targets customers will motivate consumers to return to view the website more consistently, aiding in traffic flow.
10. Make sure the business website is accessible through different screens
Reflect on how often you use your smartphone or tablet to scroll through a business website. Brand owners want to ensure that their website is user-friendly on any screen.
About Bryn Carden
Bryn Carden is a versatile young entrepreneur with a deep sense of compassion and the desire to help make the world a better place. In 2017, she founded Styles for Smiles – a company selling bracelets to support the Smile Train Organization. The proceeds from selling Bryn’s designs have already helped fund cleft palate repairs for 16 children in developing countries. BF Hats, another design brand Bryn is engaged in, donates a portion from every purchase to Ronald McDonald House of Dallas – combining Bryn’s passion for style and philanthropy.