6 Things You Need To Have On Your Website
Your website is the window through which your business says hello to the world. Your site is responsible for doing much of the talking – most clients will engage with this platform well before they engage with you personally. For this reason, it is crucial to get it right during the design process. Having a website is great, but these 6 elements will help you optimise your sites performance.
1. A clear purpose
When a potential client lands on your site, two things should be clear: what you do and what you want the visitor to do. If this is not made clear in the first few seconds of visitation, you risk the user leaving your website.
A high bounce rate can indicate that the visitor did not find what they were expecting. Users usually stay on a website for less than 15 seconds, so that’s your window into grabbing someone’s attention.
Having a clear purpose is critical given the small amount of time spent on any website – potential clients want key information, and they want it now.
2. Professional Branding
Small businesses often overlook the importance of branding. Everything from your font to your colours should be cohesive – you are showcasing you.
Strong branding installs trust in your niche and helps them identify and remember you. If you’re new to business, having a brand kit is something worth investing in.
Not only will it increase your cohesiveness, but it can also be used across all mediums and channels. Along with a branding kit, think about the quality of your images that are showcasing your product or service.
Professional photography featured on websites is becoming increasingly common and for good reason – it elevates your brand perception.
3. Simple Navigation
The user experience should be something you carefully consider when designing your website. Simple navigation is key here – whether you have drop-downs or scroll-triggered, your navigation should be simple and intuitive in design.
Potential clients want to find information quickly and easily so don’t make it hard for them. The best performing sites are the ones where the user experience is optimised through simple navigation.
4. Strong (and visible) calls to action
A call to action (CTA) should instigate a clear reaction from your website visitor. This goes back to the first point of having a clear purpose. A good call to action should tell your reader what to do and, if possible, the reward for doing so.
For example, a hairdresser may have a call to action like “Click here to book your next appointment – we can’t wait to see you in salon!” Here, prospective clients know what they are being asked to do and what they’re going to get out of it.
The strategic placement of CTA’s through your copy or content is another way to increase the number of visitors who take the intended action.
To increase conversions, buttons should be simple and eye-catching without being too intrusive.
5. A great mobile experience
It comes as no surprise that a huge proportion of your potential clients will access your website from their mobile. A good mobile experience is important – your site should be user friendly for those accessing via their phones and load times should be considered here.
A poor experience or slow load times can lead to a high bounce rate and it is unlikely the client will give you another chance – finding another site that gives a better experience instead.
6. Compelling content
If you want people to visit your website and stay a little longer, provide them with useful content. Value-adding is one way to increase the strength of your content. Individuals want to read valuable content that has a key takeaway for them.
Your copy should be relevant, informative and optimised for search engines. Knowing what to include is just as important as what to leave out – an information dump of copy is a sure-fire way to have potential clients leave your site. Instead, aim to be clear and concise – if you can offer valuable information in half the words, do that!
If you’re in the process of creating or redesigning your website, these 6 things should be considered.
They say when you know better, you do better so start elevating your website game today! Get in touch with The Creative Marketing Co for your new website.