Running a small business is no easy task. You have a lot to take care of without the extensive staff that large businesses might have to back them up. As a small business owner in the digital age, there is a growing pressure to run a state-of-the-art website. While hiring a full-time employee to run your business’s online presence might not be quite feasible, you can still help your business rise in online rankings.

The better your website, the more customers you’ll see both online and in-store. Very few people enter stores on a whim anymore. Most sit at home and use a search engine to explore what they’re looking for. Then, they’ll check out the first few websites that come up and typically will physically go out and visit the one with the most compelling website. Websites build consumer trust and give customers a sense of security that your business is legitimate and professional. Check out these small business website tips to keep your site up with the rapidly changing times.

Go with a minimalist layout

Many small businesses fall into the trap of trying to fit every little bit of information on their website’s homepage. This can overwhelm users and come across as outdated. Instead, try to build multiple pages on your website that are easily accessible from your home page by using tabs at the bottom of your header. Use a solid color background, such as white, so you don’t distract the customer from the page’s content. Less is more when it comes to extra elements. Too much design may feel cluttered and make information difficult to find.

Don’t skimp on digital marketing

Digital marketing for local businesses is more important than many companies imagine. This can be as simple as investing in search engine optimization for your site to ensure it pops up organically when potential customers search for things your business can provide—whether those are goods or services. Digital marketing is one of the best ways to improve your website’s traffic and conversion rates. The goal of a website is to increase sales and traffic. People need to be able to find your website and trust it for them to make the decision to do business with you.

Fill it with helpful content

You should aim to make your small business’s website a go-to resource for your business’s expertise. This means filling your webpages with accurate and well-written content answering the questions your customers and clients are most likely to ask. Set a goal to answer a question a month on your website and consider creating a blog to hold all the information. These can be great resources for customers and help to build trust with them and establish your website as an authority in the eyes of search engines—thus improving your organic rankings and website traffic.

Overall, there are many reasons to invest in your small business’s website. Many people need help trusting brands they aren’t familiar with and creating a strong and authoritative online presence just might be enough to turn curiosities into conversions.