5 Tips For Future-Proofing Your Small Business Website
As a small business owner, you know that having a strong online presence is key to success.
But what happens when technology changes and your website is no longer up to date? In order to help your business stay ahead of the curve, here are some tips for future-proofing your small business website.
The tech industry is constantly changing and website development is no exception. As new technologies emerge, website design and development must adapt to take advantage of these new tools. This can be a challenge for business owners who have a fixed budget for website design and development.
While it is important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends, not every company has the resources to rebuild their website every year. So future-proofing your small business website is both cost effective and time effective.
As a web developer, I often get asked ‘to futureproof your website’ ‘to future proof your business’ and ‘to futureproof your ecommerce website’. Can I ensure that a website remains accessible and modern for many years to come. Taking these steps, you can help ensure that your website stays ahead of the curve and can continue to provide value for years to come
Choose the right CMS
Currently most websites are built using a content management system (CMS). This software makes website development far simpler — even professional developers prefer it to the fiddly and time-consuming process of coding from scratch.
When it comes to future-proofing your website, there are many different content management systems (CMS) to choose from. In general, most CMS platforms will meet the needs of a basic website. However, for larger or more complex websites, it’s a good idea to choose one of the big providers, like WordPress or Drupal.
These platforms have their own developers working behind the scenes to improve functionality and security. They release updates every few months, and often all you need to do is keep your site updated to the latest version. This can save you a lot of time and headaches down the road whilst future-proofing your small business website.
Keep it simple
Design, simplicity, minimalism, consistent font choices, branded colour theme, high-quality photographs. As a general rule, less is more when it comes to design.
A simple, minimal interface is far more likely to stand the test of time than one that tries too hard with colour and graphics. This is because a minimal design is easy on the eyes and not distracting, meaning users are more likely to stay focused on your content. Additionally, a minimalist design is easier to update and won’t look dated as quickly as a design that’s overloaded with embellishments.
If you’re working with a designer on your website or app, be sure to communicate your preference for a minimal design. Ask them to implement a minimal theme with consistent font choices, a branded (yet subtle) colour theme, and high-quality photographs that will continue to look good for years to come. By following these guidelines, you can ensure your design will be timeless and user-friendly.
Update your content
A blog section on your website ensures that your customers always have something new to read. It also helps you to connect with them on a more personal level, sharing your company’s exciting updates. From a search engine optimisation SEO perspective, a blog is also beneficial as it gives you the opportunity to use relevant keywords and improve your search engine ranking.
However, before starting a blog, make sure you understand exactly how much work it’s going to be. You’ll need to update content regularly, at least every few weeks, and ensure it’s engaging for your target audience. If you can commit to this level of work, then a blog can be a great way to connect with your customers and grow your business.
Many business owners think they have the time to update their website regularly, but they quickly abandon the task. Suddenly, the most recent blog post on a company website will be from a couple of months ago, suggesting to users that either the company is no longer open for business or, at the very least, doesn’t have a lot going on.
If you want a blog but know you don’t have the time to update it regularly, find an SEO company that can do the work for you. A good SEO company will have a team of content writers who can create fresh, original articles for your blog that are keyword-rich and informative.
In addition, they will also be able to help you promote your blog posts through social media and other online channels. As a result, you can have an active and engaging blog without having to spend hours writing articles yourself.
Monitor accessibility
Website accessibility has been a topic of discussion for many years. The concern is that some website design and coding practices make it difficult or impossible for some people to use website content and services. Those with disabilities, particularly visual, auditory, or physical disabilities, often find websites simply too difficult to navigate. This can be a major problem, as the internet is an increasingly important resource for communication, education, business, and entertainment.
Thankfully, there have been recent advancements in technology that have improve website accessibility. These include screen-reading software, text-to-speech applications, and other tools that can help those with disabilities access website content and services. In addition, many website designers and developers are now paying more attention to creating websites that are accessible to all users. As a result, everyone can enjoy the benefits of the internet regardless of their ability level.
Be aware of privacy laws
Website privacy laws are always changing, and it can be hard to keep up. As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to make sure you’re collecting and storing user data in a safe and appropriate manner. It’s also your responsibility to stay on top of changes to data privacy laws for all regions you do business in. If you don’t have a compliance officer or privacy expert within your business, make sure your website privacy policy is up-to-date and compliant with all relevant laws. Failing to do so could result in heavy fines or worse.
What about ongoing costs
Once you’ve completed your website, it’s important to be realistic about the ongoing costs associated with maintaining it. This type of work doesn’t necessarily make obvious improvements to your site but ensures it remains functional and secure. You’ll need to pay your web development services team to fix bugs and patch holes if you are expecting customers to continue to use your site.
In addition, you should budget for regular updates to keep your site current and responsive to changing customer needs. By being realistic about the ongoing costs of website maintenance, you can ensure that your site remains a valuable asset for your business.
Conclusion on tips for future-proofing your small business website
If you want to make sure your website is ready for the future, it’s important to partner with a web developer that understands your goals and resources. They’ll be able to keep you updated on advancements in the development industry that could help keep your website running smoothly and at minimal cost. Future-proofing your small business websites.
So, if you’re looking for an experienced developer who can help take care of everything from design to updates, contact me today. I’d be happy to book a consultation and discuss how I can help ensure your website is ready for whatever the future holds.
Interested in working with me?
Call 07825 322693 or 01449 736602
I help small businesses like you build a website with a clear message to generate more clients and make more monespecialise in Responsive Web Design in Bury St Edmunds, Web Development, Local SEO, Website Maintenance and WordPress Websites.
