In the contemporary landscape, small businesses are often a mosaic of diverse talents. Within these enterprises, individuals wear many hats, their roles either fueling the organization’s success or hindering its progress. Some business owners personally oversee all marketing efforts, while others delegate this crucial task to a single individual or a dedicated team. Yet, regardless of the approach, crafting an effective marketing strategy demands a mastery of various mediums, technologies, and skill sets, spanning realms such as web design, print production, conceptual development, photography, illustration, and other design elements.

In an effort to unravel the mysteries of small business marketing strategies, we’ve gathered compelling statistics and trends that illuminate how these enterprises navigate the marketing landscape. This article aims to shed light on recent marketing practices among small businesses and offer glimpses into what lies ahead, both for the year 2018 and beyond. Drawing from comprehensive research, we present several compelling reasons why good web design serves as the cornerstone of successful small business marketing endeavors.

7 Reasons Why Business Marketing Starts With Web Design

1. Businesses Believe Websites Are Effective
According to recent statistics, 92% of small businesses think having a website is an effective digital marketing strategy. Small Businesses should consider making their website a priority to establish credibility, increase brand awareness, improve customer engagement, and improve overall sales. In today’s times, hiring a professional web designer has never been easier because you can work with web designers from all over. We have worked with companies all around the world because networking has never been easier and many organizations understand the importance of hiring a professional.

Case Study: We developed the website for Humboldt Lighting and they have been able to keep their content fresh and relevant over time. Lucas Perry, Owner of Humboldt Lighting, understands the importance of good business web design which is why he updates his website often but he still runs into technical issues occasionally. We operate as his go-to website tech support resource to solve these issues which naturally occur as technology evolves.

2. Small Businesses Are Leveraging SEO Strategy
In another recent statistic, 89% of small businesses believe SEO is an effective strategy. Developing a strong website is crucial but constant use of accurate audience-targeted keywords combined with high-quality content will drastically increase the number of leads coming in. This is currently one of the top trends among successful business owners because it works and helps reinforce good web design.

3. Your Customers Expect A Website
When customers ask for anything a great business will do anything to accommodate it so why would web design be any different. In today’s times, consumers expect brands to provide some form of digital interface, and more than half head straight to the brand’s website for more information. If your organization doesn’t have a website, today’s digital-savvy (and impatient) customers will look at your competitor’s website. Take a quick look at this list of specifics that customers say they want from a business website (Entrepreneur.com). As more people turn to google or voice-assisted search technologies the importance of a website becomes more obvious.  Businesses are making a presence across social media and directory listings but even these third-party websites give priority to businesses that have a website. A look at some of the top online directories reaffirms the idea that business web design is not just a luxury but a requirement in today’s times.

4. You Control The Narrative
You can’t control what others say on social media and third-party websites but you can control how you tell your story through your own marketing. When people search for your business online your website will impact the overall perception of your business. Creating an effective company blog will bolster your company’s message, mission, and overall personality faster than any print collateral. Furthermore, your website will speak volumes about your business in a way that will resonate with today’s consumers.

5. Your Will Show Up In Google Search Results
According to recent statistics, 81 percent of consumers perform online research before making a purchase. Whether you provide a product or a service having a website on google search results has never been more important. If you don’t have a website for your business, you are giving your competitors 100% of the potential online leads. If you have a website, you can optimize it for search engines, thereby increasing your opportunities to engage potential customers.

6. Create A Resource For Staff And Customers
In addition to helping customers, your business website can also benefit your own employees. We recently created a website for an equipment rental company and it has helped their staff as much as their employees. Alternatively, you can also create a hidden intranet page (one that is not visible anywhere on the site and is only accessible via a direct link) with self-service videos, instructional materials, or even internal forms to help your staff learn everything they need to know on their own schedules.

Case Study: We developed the website for Redi-Rents in Fortuna, California a while back. We utilized an outline provided by the client to provide a website that has become one of the most popular websites in Humboldt County, California. The success can be attributed to the massive amount of information on the website which has made it a resource for customers and even internal staff.

7. Website Content Is Still King
Content marketing is still undoubtedly the top-rated digital marketing technique, but big data is coming up closely behind. For small businesses, it’s still important to write content that is relevant to the buyer’s journey, because, ultimately, that is the content that will turn your visitors into conversions. Ultimately, the most successful approach is one that aims to provide relevant, all-original, and helpful content that provides the type of insight your visitors are looking for.

Do You Need Help Setting Up A Website or Web Tech Support?

Whether you need development services or technical support our staff is available to help you implement your vision. Our expertise in web development allows us to guide our clients through the ever-changing landscape of web design. Web design and hosting/maintenance services has changed significantly in the past few years and we’re here to provide timely expertise so that businesses can focus on their primary objectives. Whether you are a do-it-yourself entrepreneur or simply value having a team of experts on your side we always find a way to help our clients improve their approach to web design

web-designer-in-arcata-ca-humboldt-county-californiaAbout the author: Miguel Garcia is the creative director at 960 Design, a California-based web hosting company that provides comprehensive solutions to internet users around the world. Garcia draws on more than 20 years of technical experience, a degree in computer science, and a combination of work experience as an IT Consultant, Restaurant Manager, Graphic Designer, and Entrepreneur — to write about tech, small business, and physical as well as digital marketing for the 960 Design news archive.