Being a small business owner is a challenge, especially when faced with the extra hurdles of a pandemic. Approximately 9 million small businesses are grappling with the possibility of shutting their doors for good this year.
The ones that were able to weather the storm and face a positive outlook are the SMBs (small-to-medium-sized businesses) who were able to successfully diversify with an ecommerce channel and adapt with new concepts such as curbside delivery and virtual shopping assistants.
But you need more than just a website. You need a good website that can stand toe-to-toe with big business competitors.
The effective small business website design must take into account everything from branded fonts, to unified color schemes, to layout and navigation, and everything in between.
If you know it’s time to change your website design, take some inspiration from these small business websites standing out in unique ways.
This New York City brand sells jewelry, candles, perfume, diffusers, beauty products, and more.
What this website does well:
- Large graphics to show product details without feeling cluttered
- Branded color scheme and photo filters that unify the various elements of the page
- Showcases behind-the-scenes look at the studio to capitalize on the small business aspect of the brand
Cult is an independent content and strategy agency based in London and New York. Despite being a small team, their website is sleek and cutting-edge with a unique navigation experience you have to explore for yourself to truly appreciate.
What this website does well:
- Leads with an attention-grabbing video featuring short clips
- Highly creative scrolling experience with text and graphics
- Easy navigation with social media icons, contact us, and menu options accessible at all times despite the unusual layout
This brand knows their selling point, and they aren’t shy about putting it front and center. Their vibrant artwork sets them apart, and the graphics on their website allow each product a chance to shine without detracting from other designs.
What this website does well:
- Maximizes their unique artwork as a primary feature of the web design
- Clean layout with well-organized navigation callouts in the header
- Personalized note to customers that discusses challenges the company faced during COVID-19 as well as positive changes and new updates, all front-and-center on the homepage.
This small candle company from New Jersey knows exactly what it is and what it does best. With the brand’s connection to literature, the short manifesto on the homepage feels right at home to introduce new visitors to the website.
What this website does well:
- Stays on brand with dark graphics, gold text, and old books incorporated into product photography
- Provides clear messaging about the company’s inspiration, as well as the primary charitable cause they support
- Features a “Shop Local” option in the top navigation to shine a spotlight on the retailers who carry their products
This family-owned eyewear business does a good job of blending product and model photography with videos to capture the vibe of their latest collection releases. Easy product browsing is a plus.
What this website does well:
- Mission statement is easy to spot on the homepage to show what the company is all about
- Utilizes images and video to show their latest product collection
- Easy-to-navigate layout and branded photography with a soft, neutral vibe that suits the products
This two-person company prides itself on making simple products that solve problems. Their website follows this same approach with a clean-cut design that does exactly what it’s supposed to without fancy gimmicks. Studio Neat proves that simple can still be effective.
What this website does well:
- Minimalistic layout that suits the simplicity of their products
- Circle grid product thumbnail display that breaks away from traditional grid layouts and catches the eye
- Echoing the circle grid in the products drop-down of the main menu creates a uniform experience
Ready to stroll through Willy Wonka’s factory? That’s the vibe that Sweet Soaperie captures. What this website does well:
- Candy-inspired color scheme keeps the text, images, and graphics on brand
- Takes a whimsical approach to evoke feelings of joy, happiness, and youth
- Captures a homemade, SMB vibe without feeling like a low-budget website
This website is well organized and easy to shop. It’s smart about utilizing white space to make each product stand out, and the cozy feel pairs perfectly with their product line.
What this website does well:
- Clean layout with an emphasis on the artisanal, small-batch aspect of the products
- Eye-catching photos of a product that is challenging to show
- Simple but attractive text animation on the site’s banners
"Whether your SMB website needs a little maintenance or a full redesign, I'm here to help!"
Inspired Yet? Refresh Your Website
The pandemic caused global ecommerce to skyrocket to $26.7 trillion in 2020. Is your website up to the task of competing with the big players to bring in some of that revenue?
Whether your SMB website needs a little maintenance or a full redesign, the push of online shopping in the age of COVID-19 means you can’t put it off any longer. Your customers need to find you online, and once they do, your website will be the face of your business.
If you want to win sales, your website needs to dress to impress.
I’m here to help! Learn about my website design services so you can make a great first impression with your SMB website.
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I'm here to help! Learn about my website design services so you can make a greate first impression with your SMB website.
