Website Features Every Small Business Should Consider
With so much business being done online, it is more important than ever to have a website that is unique and user-friendly. Here are some special features that will help your website stand out from the rest and attract customers.
Online Store (Squarespace)
No matter what kind of product your business is selling, it is always beneficial to have an online method for your customers to make purchases. Squarespace allows you to add categories to your products as well as product variations such as size or color, making the visitor's online shopping experience easy and convenient.
Pop-Ups & Announcement Banners (Squarespace & Google Sites)
If you want to grab a potential customer's attention, you can't beat pop-ups and banners. You can use pop-ups to prompt potential customers to subscribe to your newsletter, provide their email address in return for a discount, or buy a featured product. Banners have the added advantage of being permanent fixtures on your website, but you can customize their location and content.
Calendar (Squarespace & Google Sites)
Displaying a calendar on your website can be extremely useful to viewers. You can use the calendar to advertise special events or to allow customers to make reservations or appointments.
Donate Button (Squarespace)
Having the option to accept donations providers visitors to your site a way to support your business, even if they don't buy anything. This feature also gives you the opportunity to support local charities, for example by offering to match online donations. Remember, it never hurts to ask.
Slideshow (Squarespace & Google Sites)
A slideshow or image carousel is an eye-catching feature that makes your website more interactive and engaging. By displaying different images every few seconds, you can keep viewers on your website for longer. You can also allow visitors to click on the slideshow images themselves. An example of that type of slideshow can be found on our home page.
Map (Google Sites)
Make sure your customers know how to find you by adding an interactive map to your Google Sites website. They will be able to get directions to your business and even see pictures of your storefront using the Street View function.
Forms (Google Sites)
Forms are an excellent way for visitors to provide contact information or customer service feedback directly to you. You can also use Forms to conduct surveys of your customers. We use Forms on our website's contact page.
Search Bar (Squarespace & Google Sites)
Make it easy for visitors to find what they are looking for on your website by adding a search bar. Visitors can search for specific words or product numbers.
Website Analytics (Squarespace & Google Sites)
Both Google Sites and Squarespace allow you to view your website's analytics. This information is extremely useful, as it can help you modify your website. Information the analytics provide include what pages are being visited more frequently than others, what time of day you are attracting the most visitors, and which of your products is being bought the most.