You worked all weekend to get your website’s content ready. Maybe this is you—the promising new business… the new startup. Launching a small business website was a good decision to help you reach potential customers.

It’s time to finally hold your head high at a networking event. When someone asks for your card, with great confidence, you’re quick to point out that you’ve just launched your website. Feels good, right?

Your ideal client needs to see the work you’ve put in… the late hours… the long-gone weekends. Maybe this was done as a solo project, or maybe you’ve sought the help of a web guru.

Now that your website is launched, don’t think for a moment that all the work is done. Not to scare you, but owning a site that truly supports your business means that it needs ongoing attention. Attention can be in the form of edits, writing blog content, updating your contact information, or even uploading your new professional headshot.

Optimize for your potential customer

Try not to look at your website as a finished masterpiece that’s never to be touched again. It should be the digital property that is repeatedly optimized for your potential customer. Business websites are no longer the dry and flavor-free destinations online they used to be. Many business websites are no longer walls of text… unfortunately there are still some that do exist. Many business websites now have vibrant colors, compelling photography, video backgrounds, sliding images, collapsible menus, and brilliant navigation.

Check out these examples

Vibrant colors – Freelancer.com

Marketplace for crowdsourcing and outsourcing freelance projects:

Compelling photography – Google Cultural Institute

Explore arts and culture around the world:

Video background – Ditto Residential

Property development and real estate company in Washington, DC:

Sliding images – Kitamura Makura |KM05

Luxury bedding and accessories for restful sleeping:

Collapsible menu – Diadora

Athletic footwear for the running enthusiast:

Brilliant navigation – Bose

On-ear and ear-buds headphones with Bluetooth and noise-cancelling technology

You may be saying, ‘Great, I’ll get all of those things on my newly launched site!’ Hold on for a moment… only because those things exist, is no reason to add them all at once. Make informed changes over time… and only if it makes sense for your website visitors and for your business’ goals and objectives. What you want is to strike a balance between being taken seriously and not taking yourself too seriously.

Questions to think about when launching a small business website

Take some time to answer these questions:
• Are the chosen colors on my website making an impact with site visitors?
• Is my website making it difficult for new visitors to contact me?
• Does my website consist of many long paragraphs with no links, images, or subheadings to break up text?
• Would my ideal customer know what I do and how I can serve them?
• Are my competitors doing something on their site that might give them an advantage?

Fortunately, with the right advisor or vendor, you can gain insights and answers.

These questions make you think about what you communicate to your potential customers. There are many more questions to ask, but you don’t have to solve this all at once. It’s something that requires your attention… maybe on a bi-weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis. Addressing your website in this fashion allows it to grow in a meaningful way and keeps it from getting stale.

Reasons you should take time to review your site

By occasionally reviewing your site, you could:
• Find errors you didn’t notice before
• Express benefits of your product or service better
• Remove outdated information that no longer applies to your business

As a business owner, turning a blind eye to your website after its launch can cost you money. Who wants that?

You want potential customers inquiring about your business. And if what they see is persuasive, clear, easy to understand, and digestible, you can add value to their experience. Being aware of your website and optimizing it over time keeps you in control of your business’ digital presence.

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