This week I had the pleasure of delivering a workshop for Yorkshire in Business called “Getting Your Business Website Right.”
With just five business owners in the room, the session quickly became less of a presentation and more of a discussion. That turned out to be a good thing, as it gave everyone the opportunity to share their experiences and ask questions about their own websites.
One of the first questions I asked was:
“What do you love and hate in a website?”
The answers came quickly.
What Business Owners Love in a Website
The group agreed that the best websites are:
- Easy to use
- Fast to load
- Clear about what the business does
- Simple to navigate
- Filled with genuine photos
- Updated with fresh content
- Full of personality
- Easy to buy from, including guest checkout options
- Transparent about offers and discount codes
None of these points were particularly technical.
In fact, most were simply about making visitors feel comfortable, informed and confident enough to take the next step.
What Business Owners Hate in a Website
The dislikes were equally consistent.
Attendees were frustrated by websites that were:
- Slow to load
- Cluttered and difficult to navigate
- Full of jargon
- Unclear about what to do next
- Covered in pop-ups
- Packed with large blocks of text
- Difficult to read on mobile devices
- Requiring users to zoom in to view content
Again, the common theme wasn’t technology.
It was usability.
People become frustrated when websites create obstacles instead of helping them find the information they’re looking for.
The Most Interesting Insight
What struck me most was what nobody mentioned.
Nobody asked for flashy animations.
Nobody asked for complex functionality.
Nobody talked about the latest web design trends.
Instead, people wanted websites that were clear, trustworthy and easy to use.
That’s an important reminder for business owners. It’s easy to become distracted by features and trends, but visitors are usually asking themselves four simple questions:
- Can I quickly understand what this business does?
- Can I find what I’m looking for?
- Can I trust them?
- Can I contact them easily?
If your website answers those questions well, you’re already ahead of many competitors.
The Questions Business Owners Asked
The discussion also produced some excellent questions:
- Should I link my website and social media accounts?
- Is there anything wrong with using a templated website?
- How good are DIY website platforms such as Wix?
- How do I get to the top of Google’s search results?
- How can I make the most of my Google Business Profile?
What interested me was that these questions weren’t really about technology.
They were about visibility, credibility and attracting customers.
Business owners want websites that help them grow. The technology is simply the tool that helps achieve that goal.
One Lesson I Didn’t Expect
One conversation highlighted something I hadn’t considered.
Several attendees explained that they regularly use voice notes when communicating and don’t particularly enjoy email.
It was a useful reminder that customers don’t all want to contact businesses in the same way.
Some prefer phone calls.
Some prefer email.
Others prefer contact forms, social media messages, WhatsApp or voice notes.
When designing a website, it’s worth thinking about how your customers naturally communicate and making it easy for them to choose their preferred method.
Taking Action
Perhaps the most rewarding part of the session was hearing that some attendees had already built their own websites but hadn’t yet published them.
They left with ideas they wanted to implement before going live.
That highlights an important point:
A website doesn’t have to be perfect before it launches.
However, it should be clear, easy to use and designed around the needs of your visitors.
A Quick Website Check
If you’d like to improve your own website, ask yourself:
- Is it immediately obvious what my business does?
- Is it clear who I help?
- Can visitors contact me using their preferred method?
- Are my photos genuine and up to date?
- Is my website easy to use on a mobile phone?
- Does every page have a clear next step?
If not, these improvements will often have a greater impact than adding new features or redesigning everything from scratch.
If you’d like more practical tips, you can download my free Website Lead Generation Help Sheet here:
Thank you again to Yorkshire in Business and everyone who attended for a great discussion.