Most of your customers will find you on their phone, often on mobile data, and decide in a few seconds whether to contact you or move on. Whether I am building for a salon, a logistics company or a shop, these are the eight things I check on every website before it goes live.
1. A WhatsApp button within easy reach
In Cameroon, most business conversations happen on WhatsApp. Put a click-to-chat button in the header or in a corner of the screen, with a short message already written so the customer only has to press send. Keep your phone number visible as well, for people who would rather call.
2. Designed for phones first
Design for a small screen before a laptop: large buttons, short paragraphs and a menu that is easy to open with one thumb. Then test the site on an ordinary Android phone, not only on your own computer.
3. Fast, even on mobile data
A slow page loses visitors, and every megabyte costs your customers money. Compress your images (WebP is a good format), avoid heavy sliders and background videos, choose hosting with caching, and only install the plugins you really need.
4. A clear answer in the first screen
Within a few seconds, a visitor should know what you do, where you are and how to get started: one clear headline, your town or the areas you serve, and one main button such as “Book now”, “Get a quote” or “Chat on WhatsApp”.
5. Real photos and real proof
Show your actual work, products and team instead of stock photos. Add a few customer reviews (with their permission) and, where possible, prices or starting prices. Trust is what turns a visitor into a customer.
6. Easy to find on Google
Create a free Google Business Profile with the same name, phone number and address as your website. Give each page a clear title and description that uses the words people actually search for, such as “tailor in Bamenda”, and submit your sitemap in Google Search Console.
7. English and French
Cameroon is bilingual, and so are your customers. A French and an English version can reach many more people. You do not have to translate everything on day one: start with the home page, your services and the contact page.
8. A way to get paid, if you sell online
If customers can buy from your website, let them pay the way they already pay: MTN Mobile Money and Orange Money through a local payment provider, alongside card payments for customers abroad.
Before you launch
A website is never really finished. Choose a platform you can update yourself, like WordPress, so your prices, photos and news never go out of date.
Want me to check your website against this list? Send me a message or chat with me on WhatsApp, and I will tell you what to fix first.
