Top Web Design Trends for Small Businesses

I came across an excellent post about the “Top Web Design Trends for Small Businesses in 2010” on the Small Business Trends website (strangely enough!).  In the post, Shashi Bellamkonda writes about what he believes will be the big trends for successful small businesses during 2010.  And, I feel like I’ve been ripped off!  But only because he is writing about most of the the things I believe are a must for any successful business as we transition into a world where offline advertising is quickly becoming ineffective and cost-prohibitive for small businesses.

Here’s a recap of the trends from Shashi (but you definitely need to go to the page and read the entire post):

• Find me on the Internet: Year of the Web presence - You need a website!  No matter what your business, if you can’t be found online, pretty soon you won’t be found offline.
• Low cost or no cost ways to get a web site increase – There are a ton of ways to get online without breaking the bank.  Now, you have no excuse to try the “do it yourself” method of putting up a website.
• Updating frequently. Realizing the power of a Blog as a business tool – There’s a reason I use WordPress for the sites I build, and it’s all about interactivity.  WordPress’ blog solution is great!
• Flashy out;  practical in- A good website is clean, easy-to-navigate, and professional.  Make sure you create your own, or work with a website company (I can recommend a good one!) that understands this.
• Personalized experience – This is one of the trends that I think may be a bit out of the reach of most small businesses, but you can certainly do some of this with some great web designers.
• Are you for real? – Establishing credibility is one of the best ways of getting new customers.  Use certifications, Better Business Bureau membership, professional associations, to establish credibility with customers and prospects.
• Do you know who is knocking on your web site door; Web Analytics are a crucial tool – There are all kinds of tools available – many for free – to help you track site visitors and more.
• Widgets and Apps – The reason I love WordPress so much is the astounding amount of outside developers that create widgets and apps to add functionality to your website.
• Can I call you now? Adding Interactivity to your website – Adding chat and calling options to your website is easier than ever, and visitors will start to expect to see more of this.
• More Multi-media will be added to web sites – With the tools available today, adding video, pictures, and audio to your site has never been easier, and is a great way to stand out in the crowd.
• Links links links – The Internet is built on links, and search engines love them.  Making sure you provide great content, and participate with other sites in your community, will really help out your site.

Take a few minutes to read the full post, and then spend a few more minutes jotting down ideas on how you can improve your existing website or start from the right plan if you need to build a new website.

Web Design and Marketing for Local Business