If you run a small business, your website is often the first impression people get. Whether someone’s searching for a plumber in Poole, a café in Bournemouth, or a web designer in Dorset, your website needs to do convert them into a customer.
But what actually makes a great website? It's not just about flashy design or stuffing in keywords, it's about building something that helps real people quickly understand who you are, what you offer, and how to get in touch.
Clear, simple messaging
Within the first few seconds of landing on your homepage, visitors should know:
- What you do
- Who you help
- How to get started
Avoid vague statements like “We offer solutions” and go for something direct and helpful like “Affordable roofing in Poole” or “Wedding cakes baked fresh in Bournemouth.” You don't want to leave visitors guessing, you need to give them clarity.
Mobile first design
More people will visit your site on their phone than their computer. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re instantly creating friction with slow load times, awkward layouts, and buttons that are hard to tap.
A great website looks and works beautifully on every screen, desktop, tablet, or mobile. This isn’t just good for user experience, it’s also a big deal for SEO and ranking higher than your competitors.
Fast loading times
If your site takes more than a few seconds to load, they’ll visitors will leave and possibly head straight to a competitor. A great small business website is lean, fast, and built with performance in mind. Avoiding bloated templates and oversized images helps speed your site up and respects your users time and mobile data limits.
Easy intuitive navigation
Visitors shouldn’t have to dig around to find your contact details or figure out what services you offer. Keep things simple:
- A clean menu with a handful of pages
- Clear headings and buttons
- A strong call to action (“Book now”, “Get a quote”, “Call today”)
The easier your site is to use, the more likely people are to take the next step.
SEO optimised
If you’re a small business in Bournemouth or Poole, your website should be optimised to show up in local search results. That means including relevant keywords, using structured data/schema, optimising meta descriptions and providing high quality content.
A great site has these built in naturally, in page titles, headers, and body text that help search engines (and people) understand what you do and where you do it.
Trust-building elements
Your website should help people feel confident choosing you. Great small business sites include:
- Real testimonials from happy customers
- Clear photos of your work, team, or premises
- Case studies or before-and-after examples
- A friendly about page that shows you’re human
These things go a long way, especially when people are comparing you to others in your space.
It fits your business
Every small business is different and a great website isn’t about ticking boxes or following trends it’s about building something that fits you and your customers needs. Whether you’re a sole trader or a growing team, your site should reflect your personality, values, and the way you like to work and what your customers expect from you.
Need a website that actually works?
If you’re based in Bournemouth, Poole, or anywhere nearby, and your current website isn’t bringing in leads or you’re starting from scratch, I’d love to help. I design websites that are clean, fast, mobile-friendly, and built to get real results for small businesses. No fluff. No jargon. Just a site that works.
Let’s have a chat about how we can build something great for your business.
