What every small business owner needs to know about their website

As a small business owner, your website isn’t just a digital business card — it’s a powerful tool for turning visitors into customers. Think of it as a funnel guiding potential customers towards taking action. But to make your website work for you, you need to make sure it’s built with purpose and strategy. Here’s what you need to know.

Your Website is a Sales Funnel, Not Just a Business Card

Many small business owners think of their website as simply a digital brochure. But in reality, your website should be a funnel, guiding potential customers through their journey—from discovering your business to taking action.

The goal isn’t just to provide information, it’s to actively lead users toward becoming paying customers. Every click should get them closer to making that decision. As a matter of fact, the fewer the clicks necessary, the better! This is the basis on which I design my websites for small businesses.

Your website should have one primary business goal

The first step to building a website that works is to define its main goal. The easiest way to do this is ask yourself: Say a new person (a potential customer!) arrives on your site for the first time. What do I want this visitor to do when they land on my site in a best case scenario? The answer is simple: You want to turn them into a customer.

But how? The key is in understanding what action you want them to take. Do you want visitors to call you? Fill out a form for a quote or consultation? Request more information about your services? Defining this goal will set the foundation for the rest of your website strategy.

Your website will contain other information about your products and services, as well as information about your business. But this is all secondary to your primary business goal, from a web design standpoint - this goal will determine how your entire website will be constructed.

How Do You Want to Get a New Customer?

Too often, small business websites actually make it difficult for users to follow through. This directly leads to less sales. Once you’ve identified your main goal, think about the easiest, most direct path to get there. Consider the following actions:

• Filling out a form: If you want leads or consultations, a form might be your goal. Keep it simple, and make it easy for users to submit their details. Nobody wants to spend 20 minutes filling out and intake form. The goal of this form is simply to collect information on new leads.
• Calling you: If you’re in a service-based industry, your goal might be for visitors to pick up the phone and call. Ensure your phone number is easy to find, clickable, and present on every page.
• Requesting more information: Maybe you want to build trust and nurture leads before closing the deal. In that case, make it easy for users to request more information—whether it’s through downloading a brochure, viewing a case study, or scheduling a demo.

Your Entire Website Should Be Strategized Around That Goal

Everything on your website should serve one purpose: guiding visitors toward the goal you’ve identified. This means your theme, layout, and content must work together. For example:

• Clear Calls to Action (CTAs): Whether it’s a “Contact Us” button or a “Request a Quote” form, your CTAs should be visible and persuasive.
• Simple Navigation: The path to completing the goal should be simple and intuitive. Don’t hide important actions behind multiple clicks.
• Compelling Content: Use your website’s content—whether it’s text, images, or videos—to build trust and make the case for why visitors should take action.
• Clean and simple layout: While complex animations and unconventional designs may look visually appealing, it can be distracting for users who tend to favour familiarity. Keep it professional and simple.

Your Bottom Line

At the end of the day, your website exists for one reason: to help you get new customers. It’s not just a digital brochure—it’s a funnel that guides potential clients to take the next step. By defining your website’s goal, making it easy for visitors to follow through, and designing your site around that goal, you’ll have a powerful tool that works hard for your business.

Please see my plans + pricing page if this sounds like something you need for your small business website!