Being discovered online is just one element to the equation. After users have clicked through to your website, you need to ensure they stay on your website and hope that they will eventually become leads. What type of information do you need to have on your website in order to achieve this? We’re pleased that you’re interested. Here are the 10 most essential things a website should have:
- Simple to update CMS A major problems that people have is the difficulty to keep their websites current. They can’t do the task on their own or have outsourced the maintenance and management. This is great however, when they have to make changes that could require a significant amount of time for the change to be implemented. There are many user-friendly, simple and easy to maintain Content Management Systems (CMS) that are scalable and popular with developers, like WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Expression Engine and many others.
- Responsive design
A responsive website is a website which is designed to change its appearance based on the device it is being viewed. For instance when someone is browsing your website from their desktop , then switches to their mobile phone , and then to their phone, your site will not appear like a desktop on smaller screens, and it appears chaotic and crowded. The responsive layout improves the look of your website easy to read even on smaller screens. This feature of a website is crucial because a large number of people use the internet and shop and communicate via their phones, tablets or mobiles. Your site should allow them to effortlessly switch between devices without losing their information. - Navigation aids
If your visitors arrive to your website you should be able to locate the location they’d like to go within a few seconds. The drop down navigation menu at the top of your page is a simple and simple method of organizing the pages and links on your website. Make your website map in a way that is clear and ensures that each link leads to the right webpage. Links that don’t work or confuse users may make them lose their interest in your site, or get frustrated and end up leaving. - Strong brand name
When you are planning a website redesign, take the time to consider how your brand’s image will be represented. Consider the shades, fonts kinds of photos and graphics , the amount of blank space and the content you’ll include along with the tone and messages your company conveys. All of these aspects are vital to the development of an identity for your brand that informs your customers about who you are and the services you can offer. A poorly-organized brand image will leave visitors feeling lost and unable to feel connected to the business. - High quality content
Every page of your site should be written well and have search engine-optimized content. Search engines look up websites for content that is that is informative and understandable and regularly up-to-date and serves websites better than those that don’t. Therefore, regardless of the page you decide to add such as a listing of the services, prices and history or testimonials, make sure that your website has interesting relevant and useful information. - Blogs
We’ve previously mentioned that search engines like websites with high-quality blog posts that are frequently updated. The best way to ensure that your site includes this crucial feature is to create an online blog for your business. To ensure that search engines are satisfied, continue to post frequently and ensure your site is kept current with fresh material and also publish content that positions your company as a thought-leader . This is the best content! - calls to Action that are clearly stated
Be clear on what you expect your site’s visitors to do will guide them and reduce confusion. On your website Be specific about whether you would like them to sign up to your site, fill out the request form or download your content and more. Use powerful, active and urgent language (Buy/Donate/Register/Subscribe/Download Now! ) and include the call-to action on every page above or beneath the fold. - Contact details
Include your company’s address, contact number and email address in the footer visible at the bottom of every page. This means that no matter which page users go to on your website, they’ll be able to figure out how to contact you. It’s also possible to make an “Contact Us” page in the footer of your site to show your appreciation for the comments, queries, and interaction with your customers. - Social Media buttons
A website that’s not backed by the potential of social media is missing the opportunity to engage with prospective customers. Most people who are on the Internet have having a profile on at least one of the networks. Make sure to add the links for your business’s social media profiles and also add “share” buttons in your posts. If you don’t have a profile, think about creating business pages present on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube and Pinterest. - Functions of security
This is an aspect that’s vital to websites on which users are likely to input credit card numbers or other sensitive information. Your website might be secure, but visitors will more inclined to believe your site if you include additional security measures to your website . Make them easily visible by displaying an image that says “secured by …” even if you do not offer products on your website ensure that you let users know that the information that they supply (name email address, postal address, name or any other details. ) to download information or sign-up to newsletters or blogs are secured with you and you won’t offer it for sale or use it for that are different than the ones to which it was created.