So, which type of website should you choose for your small business? It doesn’t take much time browsing the internet to realise that not all websites are created equal. Web design is not a one-size-fits-all solution. The type of website you choose has a huge effect on how your customers interact with your business.
Below, we outline five common types of websites and the types of businesses they suit best.
eCommerce websites
An eCommerce website is perfect for when you’re retailing direct to the public. It’s your online shop where you display your products and make sales. You’ll want your eCommerce site to be easy to use and mobile-friendly. A good search and filtering system is essential so people can seek out specials and find the items they want as quickly as possible. Your site will also need secure checkout facilities with the ability to incorporate discount codes. Another important element of your eCommerce site is having robust SEO copy in your front-end and SEO optimised elements in your back-end. Good SEO means Google is more likely to recommend your site in online searches.
Small business websites
A business website is designed to showcase your business even if you aren’t directly selling your products or services online. It might be to offer customers in-depth information about products you supply to selected retailers, or to encourage other retailers to stock your brand. It could be to drive people to a bricks-and-mortar store. Maybe you’re someone who provides a service, like a consultant or an accountant, where your goal is to get customers to contact you directly so you can provide them with a quote. A business website should feature strong branding, good SEO, a clear message, and a cohesive tone of voice.
Portfolio websites
Portfolio websites are great for creatives, where displaying examples of your previous work is the best way to attract new clients. They are ideal for people like web designers, artists, writers, photographers, video editors, sculptors, woodworkers, and interior designers. A great portfolio website will be clean and visually compelling, with easy-to-navigate categories for each different type of work that you want to showcase. Don’t include everything you’ve ever done – select the best pieces to highlight in each category.
Brochure websites
If you just want a simple online presence, then a brochure website might be right for you. Brochure websites are usually just one or two pages promoting your business and providing your contact information. As the name suggests, it’s the virtual equivalent of a printed brochure that you might hand out at trade shows. A brochure website should include attractive branding, appealing imagery, and concise copy.
Landing pages
A landing page is a type of marketing website with just one purpose – to encourage your customer to take a single course of action. That might be signing up for your promotional emails, downloading an e-book, purchasing a product, registering for an event, enrolling in a free trial, or simply clicking through to a page on your main website. Often, landing pages stand-alone, and may only be used for a short period (i.e., during a promotion). Research shows that the more options your customers have, the harder it is for them to decide. If you want your customer to do something specific, a landing page is a great option. A good landing page should include plenty of long-tail keywords, load quickly, and have a compelling call-to-action with some kind of “carrot” to entice your customer.
If you’re not sure which website would suit your small business best, the good news is that Moreweb removes the guesswork; our small business website package includes a scoping session where we help you choose the best site for your needs. If you’d like to find out more, get in touch!
