You may wonder if investing time and money into creating a website for your business is worth it.
The answer is a resounding yes.
An online presence allows potential customers to learn about your products or services easily, contact you for enquiries, and even purchase directly from your website.
Your website is also the only property you own in the digital world. Social media platforms may come and go, but your website is all yours.
Simply having a website isn’t enough. It needs to have certain essential elements to ensure it get results for you.
Here are 8 must-haves for a successful business website.
FREE Checklist: Common Business Mistakes You MUST Avoid
8 Essentials for a Successful Business Website
You can get and keep customers if your website has these essential elements below. Don’t underestimate how vital your website is to your success as a business.
Even if you don’t sell products or services directly from your website, people often judge your business by your website.
And you want them to have an excellent first impression.
1. A Professional Domain Name and Design
Your domain name gives your audience the first impression of you. Your potential customer will immediately think of various things when they hear the domain name and URL you give them. They’ll form an impression right away about your business. Choose one that is relevant and easy to remember. The design should be clean, modern, and professional.
2. Clear Branding
Your branding should be consistently displayed throughout the website in terms of colours, fonts, and language used. This helps solidify your brand identity in the minds of visitors. This also should include your logo and any taglines or mission statements. In addition, any information your target audience may need should be easily accessible and clearly communicated.
3. User-Friendly and Easy Navigation
Visitors should be able to easily navigate through your website and find the information they are looking for without becoming frustrated or confused. Navigation should be straightforward and intuitive, with drop-down menus or tabs leading to the different pages on your website. If your website is too complicated or “unique” in its navigation, potential customers may leave and not return.
4. High-Quality and Useful Content
This includes well-written text, high-resolution photos, and videos that enhance the user experience. In addition, the content should provide value to the visitor and be regularly updated to keep them coming back for more.
5. Social Media Integration
Including links to your various social media platforms lets visitors easily connect and engage with you on those channels and stay updated on your latest offerings.
6. Compelling About Us Section
Visitors want to know the story and personalities behind the business. So create an engaging “About Us” section that tells your brand story and showcases the unique qualities of your business. Include contact information and staff bios as well.
7. Responsive Design
In today’s mobile-dominated world, your website must be responsive and display appropriately on all devices. Responsive design allows potential customers to access your website without problems which will cut down on bounces.
Also, Google now includes a website’s ‘mobile-friendliness’ in its search algorithm. And, with more than half of all online business searches beginning on mobile devices like smartphones or tablets, if your website isn’t responsive, your website visitors will quickly move on to another site.
8. Testimonials and Customer Reviews
Include a section on your website that displays customer reviews and testimonials, as these provide social proof of the quality and value of your products or services.
Free Download: How To Avoid Digital Marketing Mistakes
We all make mistakes. We wouldn’t be human if we didn’t. In the world of online business, you’re going to make some minor boo-boos and some cataclysmic mistakes. It’s all part of the learning process. Although mistakes are going to happen, you can avoid the common digital marketing mistakes as listed above and other pitfalls that are lurking around the corner. Download my free checklist, A Guide To Online Business Mistakes, and avoid the false moves and slipups that even veteran online entrepreneurs make.