Tips from a Long Island web design company

2019 is a great time to be an entrepreneur. Small businesses are thriving, and the internet age makes it easier and less costly to get a new enterprise off the ground than ever before. As a Long Island web design company, we have a unique perspective on the small business scene. We work with entrepreneurs in a wide range of sectors. They all have one thing in common, however. While everyone knows that having a good website design is a prerequisite for success in the online age, there is less consensus on what “a good website” really means. Here, we provide some answers, with six essential ingredients that no great website can go without.

1. Homepage website design

Speak to any Long Island web design company, and they will tell you the homepage of your website is the online equivalent of your storefront. First impressions count. If you are strolling down a busy shopping street, you will see one shop window after another. They are competing with one another to tempt potential buyers in through the door.

Successful website design in NY requires you to picture the internet as an online version of, lets say, New York’s Fifth Avenue. The homepage needs to be attractive, uncluttered and on brand. It also needs to be entirely clear about who you are and what you sell. Take a look at our homepage, and the first thing that hits you are the words “we are a web design company in New York”. You can’t get much more precise than that!

2. List Products and services

A good homepage, like a good storefront, gets people in the door. The next thing they want to do is browse your shelves. So make sure there is a clear call to action button that will take them to a page where they can learn more about your products or services.

If you are operating an e-commerce business, you will need detailed information about every offering, with plenty of pictures and transparent pricing information. For more bespoke services, that is not always practical, but still, make sure you give a good overview. Most important of all, provide a further call to action as to where the visitor needs to go next.

3. Display Testimonials and reviews

You can tell visitors how good your products and services are all day long, but it will never be as effective as when they hear it from your existing customers. Customer reviews are an immensely powerful marketing tool, and you cannot start building your review profile too soon.

4. Craft an About Us Page

Customers want to know about the company they are doing business with, and the about us page gives you the opportunity to explain why you are better than the rest. Be informative and discuss your history, experience and whatever else sets you apart. However, don’t merely turn this page into a sales pitch, as this is as likely to turn customers away.

5. Include a Contact Page

Every other page should contain a clear link to the contact page, as this is the one that will get visitors into the sales funnel. People like choice, so offer as many options as possible. Embed map for those who want to visit in person. Or display social links for them to get in touch by Facebook or Twitter. The usual phone and email options are always important. Also, consider an instant chat feature. A experienced Long Island web design company will be able to offer plenty of options.

6. Feature a News or Blog Page

A regularly updated blog or news page is one of the essential tools a New York SEO company will recommend to drive more traffic to your site and to enhance your brand. If your blog is well managed, regularly updated and contains interesting articles, it will boost inbound leads and improve your site’s authority with Google. That means higher ranking on the search engine results pages for the keyword searches that matter. Blogging also establishes your brand as an influential authority in your sector.

There are plenty of other aspects that you might want to add to your website. But getting the above six in place, and having them properly SEO optimized, will get set you in the right direction. To find out more about how Hummingbird Web Design can get your site off to the best possible start, contact us any time for an informal chat.