In today’s world, most of you are well aware of the reach and influence of the internet. If you have a business, small or big, having a website is an absolute marketing must. A website is a highly effective marketing tool that can generate a lot of potential business on the internet.
Then again, many businesses have websites, which are wonderful looking but unfortunately do not generate business. A great looking website that does not reap you money is good for nothing. As a business owner, you are often clueless why your website is failing to attract customers.
See, developing a website can be easy, but developing an effective business website is a tough act. How a website looks is important but that’s only one of the elements for an effective website. The main reason that websites do not work is the absence of essential elements in a website that makes it click.
Must have elements in a website
Though the landing page is most important as it creates the first impression, make sure to pay heed to different elements of a website. Here is a list of essential elements of any website. Developers while designing, need to make sure the list below is included.
#1. The page layout
There are a host of things that makes a website attractive. Developing an effective website needs precision and detailing. Here are some of the elements you should include to make sure a page looks interesting and convincing.
A compelling headline – A headline is the key element of a website. It is often the first phrase that a visitor reads when they visit a website. Make sure the headline is bold and attracts attention of the visitor.
A well-written headline is clear, structured and to the point. It should be a perfectly crafted sling of words that can aggravate the visitors’ interest and urge them to learn more about the product. Try to use a large font size or a different color to attract the attention.
Choose images carefully -The banner image is the predominant image used in a web page. It is the first visual that a visitor encounters and therefore, should offer an overview of the purpose of the website. Such pictures can be either static or dynamic.
Choose the images carefully and make sure they are of good quality. Try to include pictures of all the products or services your company is offering. If there are many products that you offer, try to use thumbnail of the product which will lead to larger pictures, as this helps in faster page loading.
Content – The most popular phrase in internet marketing is “Content is king” and truly it is. So, make sure to draft up an effective sales copy with interesting information that grips the customer’s attention, even one great content can give you 100% ROI. It should explain the benefits of the services offered and also the perks the customer will enjoy.
User-friendly navigation – A consistent, clear and easy to understand navigation is a must for any website. Make sure your customers can easily understand the navigation menu or bar, as it helps them to locate the page they want to visit or where they are on a website.
Nothing irritates a customer more than hunting for information in a website. An easy, enjoyable browsing experience results in happy visitors and converts to good business.
Search Box – Websites often miss including a search tab to their website. When visitors come, they do not have the patience to search through the website and simply leave because of not finding the information. With the inclusion of a search box, searching is easy.
404 Error page – A lot of time designers simply do not include a 404 page for a broken link or other interruption. This deteriorates the user experience. As a developer, try to include a 404 error page and better if you can use it innovatively.
#2. SEO Optimization
Search Engine optimization is undoubtedly the most important strategy to market a website over the internet. Though everyone active over the internet are aware of the importance of SEO, they often miss out on key elements that results in their getting lost in search engines.
To cut things short, there are hundreds of SEO tactics that marketing gurus will advise you, but make sure your website in optimized properly. Make sure to have keywords in contents, different service pages, and domain authority. This will help generate better optimization of the website which enhances the visibility of a website.
Generate viewer for every service offered – For better optimization of a website, it’s important to have individual service page for every service or product offered.
Call to action – Why do you make a website? The simple answer is to generate business. You have only 5 seconds to make a visitor respond. Make sure not only the homepage but all other pages, have clear call to action buttons that a visitor can click to register a query or interest in the product.
Site map – The idea is not to confuse potential customers when they visit a website. Therefore, include a sitemap that will have the links to the site’s most important pages.
Social Media Integration -The different social media platforms are effective marketing platforms. Include a share button on your website so that customers can share information about your product or services on different social media platforms.
Blogging – A website reaps a host of benefits when blogs are included and updated regularly in a website. Most importantly, it helps to provide more information to the visitors.
#3. Trust Building Elements
Though the world is now used to living and operating through the web, there are still people who are apprehensive about information available on the Internet. Why is trust a concern for e-commerce websites? This is because they often miss out on necessary elements.
To instill trust among your visitors, make sure you provide as much information as possible over the website. Here are some tips –
About Us Page – This page lets visitors know, who you are. Try to include a small bio of the company and the team. Let your visitors know of your product and services and aim through this venture.
Contact Information – Though this seems to be a no-brainer, but many companies deliberately do not offer, their main address and phone number on the website. Contact information is a way to build trust and credibility and should not be ignored.
Third party validation – A lot of business owners do not recognize the importance of validation, but in business, third-party validation is important to step to building the trust of the visitors. Try to include customer testimonials, reviews from existing clients, case study, client lists, and awards to build the interest and trust of your visitors.
Final Thoughts
To keep a website in the best form, try to review the site regularly to optimize its performance. Try to update changes or blogs as frequently as possible. Figure out the unnecessary clutters in a website and try to simplify things. A structured website always generates results.
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