Page Load Speed: Captivate with Speed

Website visitors have little patience for slow-loading pages. A fast page load speed enhances user experience and impacts search engine rankings. Businesses can create a snappy browsing experience that keeps visitors engaged and satisfied by compressing images, optimizing code, and leveraging browser caching.

Mobile Responsiveness: Reach and Engage on All Devices

Mobile devices dominate internet usage, making mobile responsiveness imperative. A website that adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes and resolutions ensures an optimal user experience across devices. It allows businesses to capture and retain the attention of a wider audience, ultimately leading to increased conversions and customer satisfaction.

Clear Navigation and User Journey: Guide the Way

A well-structured and intuitive navigation system empowers users to find what they need effortlessly. By implementing logical menus, clear labels, and consistent navigation elements, businesses can guide visitors through their websites, enhancing usability and reducing bounce rates. A smooth user journey builds trust, encourages exploration, and increases engagement and conversions.

Compelling Visuals and Imagery: Capture Attention

Visual content plays a significant role in creating an impactful online presence. High-quality images, videos, and graphics enhance the visual appeal and effectively convey a brand’s message. Compelling visuals capture attention, evoke emotions, and leave a lasting impression, helping businesses stand out in a crowded digital landscape.

Call-to-Action Optimization: Prompt Action

A strong call-to-action (CTA) prompts visitors to take desired actions, such as purchasing, signing up for a newsletter, or scheduling a consultation. Businesses can drive conversions and achieve their goals by optimizing CTAs with persuasive language, prominent placement, and clear benefits. A well-crafted CTA inspires visitors to take action, turning them into loyal customers.

In a highly competitive online world, these five areas—page load speed, mobile responsiveness, clear navigation, compelling visuals, and optimized CTAs—play crucial roles in determining the success of a website. By prioritizing these aspects, businesses can enhance user experience, increase engagement, and drive conversions. Remember, a well-performing website not only leaves a positive impression but also helps build long-lasting relationships with customers, fueling business growth in the digital real

1. Reliability and Uptime Guarantee

Reliability is crucial when it comes to web hosting. You need a hosting provider that can guarantee that your website will be available online 24/7. The uptime guarantee is the percentage of time that your website will be available and accessible online. Look for a provider that offers at least a 99.9% uptime guarantee. Anything below this can be considered unreliable.

2. Server Speed and Performance

The speed of your website is also essential. It affects the user experience and can impact your search engine rankings. When choosing a hosting provider, look for one with fast servers and performance. You can test the server speed by running speed tests on their website. A good provider should also offer caching and Content Delivery Network (CDN) services to improve website speed and performance.

3. Scalability and Room for Growth

As a small business, you may not need many resources to start. However, as your business grows, you may need more resources to handle increased traffic and demands. Therefore, consider their scalability and room for growth when choosing a hosting provider. Choose a provider that offers flexible hosting plans to accommodate your growing needs. You should be able to upgrade your hosting plan easily without experiencing any downtime.

4. Security Features

Website security is essential for every business. You need a hosting provider with robust security features to protect your website and data from cyber threats. Look for a provider that offers SSL certificates, firewalls, malware scanning, and regular backups. Also, check if they offer DDoS protection to prevent your website from crashing due to a sudden surge in traffic.

5. Customer Support

When it comes to web hosting, technical issues can arise anytime. Therefore, it’s essential to choose a hosting provider that offers reliable and efficient customer support. Look for a provider that offers 24/7 support through various channels such as email, live chat, and phone. Test their support system by contacting them before signing up for their service. A good provider should be responsive and knowledgeable in resolving your issues.

6. Control Panel and User Interface

The control panel and user interface of your hosting provider can significantly impact your experience as a user. You need a provider that offers a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate. Also, ensure that the provider offers a control panel that allows you to manage your website, files, and databases efficiently. A good provider should offer cPanel, which is the most popular and user-friendly control panel in the market.

7. Pricing and Billing

Pricing is another crucial factor to consider when choosing a hosting provider. However, don’t make the mistake of choosing the cheapest provider without considering other features. Compare the prices of different providers and check what features they offer in each plan. Also, consider the billing cycle, payment methods, and refund policies. Choose a provider that offers a transparent pricing model and flexible billing options.

8. Reputation and Reviews

Lastly, consider the reputation and reviews of the hosting provider. Look for providers with a good reputation in the market and positive reviews from their customers. Check out their social media pages, online forums, and review websites to see what people say about their services. A good provider should have a solid reputation and positive customer reviews.

Do your research and find the right fit for your website needs. A reminder that the cheapest option is usually not the most reliable when something goes off-plan.

However, creating a website can be daunting, especially for small business owners lacking the necessary skills and expertise. This is where website design agencies come in. 

A website design agency can help small business owners create a professional-looking website that represents their brand and meets their specific needs.

But with so many website design agencies out there, choosing the right one for your small business can be a challenge. Here are some important items to consider when selecting a website design agency for your small business:

1. Experience and Expertise

When selecting a website design agency, it’s important to consider their experience and expertise. You want to work with a team with a proven track record of creating successful websites for small businesses. Look for an agency with experience working with businesses similar to yours and can offer a portfolio of their previous work. Additionally, you want to work with an agency with expertise in the latest web design trends and technologies. This ensures that your website will not only look great but will also be functional and user-friendly.

2. Communication and Collaboration

Effective communication and collaboration are key to a successful website design project. When selecting a website design agency, look for a team that values communication and is willing to collaborate with you throughout the project. This includes regular check-ins, open dialogue, and the ability to provide feedback and make necessary changes. A good website design agency should be able to explain technical concepts in a way that’s easy to understand and should be responsive to your questions and concerns.

3. Services Offered

Not all website design agencies offer the same services. Some agencies specialize in certain areas, such as e-commerce or mobile app design, while others offer a full suite of web design services. When selecting a website design agency, it’s important to consider their specific services and whether they align with your business’s needs. For example, if you plan to sell products online, you’ll want to work with an agency that has experience in e-commerce design.

4. Pricing and Budget

Website design costs vary significantly depending on the agency and the project’s scope. When selecting a website design agency, it’s important to consider your budget and the agency’s pricing structure. Some agencies charge a flat rate for their services, while others charge by the hour or have a project-based pricing structure. Look for an agency that is transparent about its pricing and can provide a detailed cost estimate.

5. Customer Service and Support

Customer service and support are essential when it comes to website design. After all, your website is a critical component of your business, and any issues or downtime can significantly impact your bottom line. When selecting a website design agency, look for a team that offers ongoing support and maintenance services. This includes regular backups, security updates, and troubleshooting assistance. Additionally, consider the agency’s customer service reputation and reviews from past clients.

6. Timeline and Project Management

Creating a website is a complex project that requires careful planning and execution. When selecting a website design agency, consider its project management process and timeline. Look for an agency that can provide a clear timeline for the project and is willing to work with your specific needs and deadlines. Additionally, consider the agency’s project management tools and processes, such as how they handle communication, revisions, and changes to the project scope.

7. Company Culture and Values

Finally, it’s important to consider the company culture and values of the website design agency. Look for an agency that aligns with your business’s values and mission. It may not seem important, but it will play a key role in how you communicate and how both sides handle friction and roadblocks.

The sum it all up: do your research, look past the pretty design, and keep in mind that you typically get what you pay for.

Working with a wide range of small businesses over the last 25 years, we’ve learned a thing or two about what goes into operating a business in today’s fast-paced world.

1. Password App

Passwords are the first defence against cyber attacks, yet many small business owners still use efficiently guessable or recycled passwords. A password app can generate and store complex passwords for multiple accounts, reducing the risk of security breaches.

2. Google My Business Profile

A Google My Business profile is a free and powerful tool that helps small businesses increase their online presence and visibility. By optimizing your profile, you can enhance your search engine rankings, attract new customers, and showcase your products or services, all with just 20-30 minutes of setup.

3. Proper Email Service

Email is the number one tool for small businesses, period. And it’s essential that you have a professional email service in place. Google Workspace and Microsoft Office 365 are two leading providers that do email properly. Ensure your email service is tied to your business’ domain name and not to an internet services provider like Bellnet, Cogeco or Rogers.

4. Backups

Data loss can cripple a small business, so it’s crucial to have a stable backup system in place. Can you imagine if you lost access to all your emails or sales records? Cloud-based backup solutions are affordable and convenient, allowing you to automate backups and store your data securely off-site. Any decent IT professional can help narrow the options and recommend the best solution for you and your business.

5. IT Support

The business world is tech-based, and there is no getting around it. Regardless of your type of business, you will need proper tech at some point or another. And having the right advice is essential to spending on the right technology for your business. And having a go-to source for troubleshooting or advice is the best way to keep your business operating and moving forward. Also, don’t rely on your cousin’s nephew’s friend for your IT support. Take your business seriously and hire professionals.

6. Security Software

Small businesses are increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats, so it’s vital to have security software installed on all devices. Antivirus, anti-malware, and firewalls can protect your business from cyber-attacks and data breaches. See item number 5 above for help in this domain.

7. A Defined Target Customer(s)

Identifying and understanding your target customers is an overlooked essential for small businesses. Most of your activities are customer-facing, and you should take action and make decisions that lead your business toward dealing with the right customers and not just “any” customers.

8. Bookkeeping

Accurate and up-to-date bookkeeping is essential for managing your small business finances effectively. And since most of us would prefer to avoid the mounting stack of paperwork that needs attention, you’re better off investing in a bookkeeping service to keep you up-to-date.

9. Inspiration

Running a small business can be challenging and stressful, so it’s vital to find sources of inspiration and motivation. This might include attending networking events, joining a mastermind group, or seeking mentorship from successful entrepreneurs. And inspiration doesn’t always have to be work-related. You might find inspiration from personal activities like watching movies or reading fiction.

10. PTO

Small business owners work long hours and sacrifice personal time, often away from family and friends, to grow their businesses. However, taking time off to rest and recharge is essential for preventing burnout and maintaining work-life balance. More importantly, time off gives your brain time to incubate ideas and sort through your thoughts, making you more efficient and productive during work hours.

Of course, this isn’t the exhaustive list of essentials a small business needs, but it’s a round-up of the most prominent things that a small business is usually missing.

So how do we look for efficiencies at budget time, when we don’t know how much our website costs us?

Direct costs are pretty easy to tabulate, but indirect and ‘time-spent’ costs are a little trickier to nail down during budget times.

Working with some of our small org clients, we’ve put the work in to demystify this elusive cost and present it so that you can adjust the figures for your team.

Annual Cost analysis

Direct costs

Time-spent costs for your team to manage the website

On average, a proper website can cost organizations like yours $8,525 in time spent and direct costs.

I have two additional notes to add to this quick analysis:

1. The average figures above are assuming normal website operating conditions are maintained for the length of the timeframe, which in this case is five years. They do not include any remediation fees for hacked websites, downtime due to backup restoration, or major platform technical issues. It’s assuming all goes as planned, which, in our 20+ years of experience, rarely is that case, and we wanted to present a “base case scenario.”
2. Our time estimate assumes that the people in the roles have an average level of proficiency with the tasks they are responsible for (i.e. branding, communications, website server maintenance, etc.). The time-spent estimates will need to be adjusted based on your organization’s team’s proficiency in completing their assigned tasks.

To be more realistic with these numbers, we should assume that $8,500 is the minimum annual cost for your organization’s website and will increase depending on your team’s capabilities and your forecasting approach (cautious vs. aggressive).

Different scope.

Size of budget.

Range of features.

Unique goals.

Successful web projects should all start in the same place…

Planning.

So, here are 7 planning essentials before starting up a new website design project.

1. Research your competition.

You don’t want to launch your project and realise you aimed too low to compete in your market.

• What are they doing on their site?
• How good is their design?
• How much content do they have?
• What features have they added?
• What are their calls to action?

It sets your benchmark to be competitive.

2. Focus on your target audience

Without a clear understanding of your ideal visitor, your design and content will be too general to make an impact.

• What location defines them?
• What are their pain-points?
• What do they value?
• What are their associated interests?

Marketing success will depend on how well you know your audience.

3. Establish your goal.

What should your website do for you?

How will it create value in your business?

• Generate leads? 
• Process orders? 
• Rank in search?
• Members portal?
• Improve your reputation?

Clarify how your website should perform and how it should be measured.

4. Plan your content. 

Don’t think about design until you have clarity on your content topics.

Organize your topics into categories: products, about, work examples, resources, etc.

Content building often takes more time than building the website.

Start planning to fill the gaps in your content ASAP.

5. Find inspiration.

You’ll need to convey your design ideas to a creative-type person. That isn’t easy for most.

Find inspiration in other websites and marketing materials.

Focus on shapes, colours, styles, and features.

List brands that you like and why you like them.

Describe what you want in your words. Let the designer translate.

6. Set realistic timelines.

Quality work takes time, and is worth the investment. 

Give yourself enough time to properly review the website.

Think ‘months’ not ‘weeks’.

Be clear about your expectations, but give space for adjustment.

7. Set a realistic budget range.

Your budget should be a clear range that you’re comfortable paying.

Underpaying is more problematic than overpaying.

Focus on your goal and the added value over the next 12 months. 

The added value should be 10x the cost of the website budget.