When it comes to UX, small businesses often get left behind.

When it comes to UX, small businesses often get left behind.

Over the past few months, I've worked with a few small businesses to audit and improve their customer-facing digital products. But one thing continues to surprise me, just how many poor digital experiences exist in the small business space, even with the availability of plug-and-play platforms.

This caught my attention because the stakes are so high for small businesses. For instance, I recently audited a restaurant's website and discovered that six call-to-action buttons were randomly clustered together right in the middle of the home page. This made me feel confused and unsure about which button to click to place an order. I can only imagine how a first-time visitor might feel.

According to the Gomez Peak Time Internet Usage Study, 88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a site after a negative experience. For small businesses, which already operate on tighter margins than larger companies, these negative experiences can have an even greater impact.

Here's the positive side, though. With the right UX guidance and simple strategies, many of these issues can be resolved. Small businesses could unlock better engagement, improved customer loyalty, and even bring in more revenue. Making customers feel more valued.

As UX strategists, designers, and builders, we're in a position to help. What can we as a community do to empower small businesses to create better digital experiences for their customers?

Drop your thoughts in the comments—I'd love to hear how you're approaching this in your work.

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