4 Tips for an Impressive Small Business Homepage Design

People do judge books by their covers. And in web terms, your book cover is your website’s homepage. Especially for a small business, your homepage is your storefront.

Here are 4 tips to create an impressive small business homepage.

1. Keep it simple

Many established and large-scale businesses can afford to clutter their homepages. They’ve conditioned repeat users, who are able to sift through the ads, widgets and thumbnails, to access the information they need.

But as a small business owner, keep your homepage simple. The page should communicate your product or service, either with a standout image or a simple slogan.

More than anything, your homepage should elicit a positive reaction from your visitors, not confuse them with flash and clutter.

2. Be scroll-conservative

There is a sense of panic when the scroll bar on your browser shrinks faster than the speed of light. It means a page is struggling to load its endless stream of information or images. You don’t want that to be the first impression of your website.

Instead, link to separate category webpages that will include subsequent information.

Although your homepage can create opportunities for product promotion or special offers, it should be like a classy prix fixe place card.

3. Display the right links

Although it’s advisable to keep your homepage simple, you’ll still need to include the links to relevant information. A good rule of thumb is: about, product, contact. In other words, people need to know what your business is all about, what your product/services are and how to contact you.

4. Create a homepage that reflects your physical theme

The most successful marketing reflects brand consistency. Select a design, template, colour scheme, logo, etc. very carefully. You not only want these elements to reflect your product or service, you also need them to remain consistent across all platforms. Especially if you have a physical storefront or a public presence, make sure that distribution materials – like business cards or flyers – reflect your customer’s virtual experience.