What do you do when you’re looking for a product or service? Google it. Or perhaps you ask family and friends for recommendations. When they give you company names, what’s the first thing you do? Google them. Need we say more about the importance of having a modern and accurate business website? With this in mind, here are some of the essential components of a business website:
Focus on your target audience
The strategy behind every good website starts is guided by who the website is catering to (the target audience). The target audience informs all aspects of the website, from user journeys to content to design. As we’ve covered in a previous blog post, you can’t talk to everyone at once, nor should you attempt to. Instead, having an intimate understanding of precisely who you are targeting with your products and services gives you the opportunity to serve those individuals in a highly effective manner and align all aspects of your website to meet your target customer’s unique preferences and needs.
Highlight your value proposition
Your value proposition tells visitors what you do and why it matters. But instead of focusing on building credibility, your value proposition should showcase your unique ability to solve the core problem of your target customer. Highlighting why customers buy from you is foundational to designing a website that clearly communicates what you do.
Here’s a basic template that you can use to brainstorm your value proposition:
We help (target audience) do (the problem you solve) by doing (your service) in (your unique) way.
Once you’ve established your value proposition, allow it to guide the way you create your website content. Ensuring this message shines is one of the essential components of a business website.
User experience (UX)
To create a successful website, you must ensure that it offers a good user experience, from accessibility to aesthetics and everything in between. Here are some of the must-have elements for a fantastic user experience:
Mobile-friendly responsiveness
Almost 60% of global web traffic in the second quarter of 2022 was via mobile devices. The move to mobile caused Google to shift its focus to mobile-friendly website optimization as a ranking factor. As such, failing to create a mobile-friendly website could minimize the impact of your other SEO efforts. It’s imperative that your website platform and design are mobile-friendly, providing a fluid viewing experience on all devices.
Intuitive navigation
Your website navigation not only helps your visitors find what they’re looking for but can also help boost your search engine rankings. To create a user-friendly, helpful navigation, use words and phrases that your target audience would use or expect. If you have an extensive product or service range, consider using a mega menu to help you display all the options.
Use appealing calls to action
Your call to action (CTA) buttons guide users through their website journey. Place them strategically to get your users to take the right action at the right time. Use bold, time-sensitive, and action-oriented words to trigger a response.
Keep your website pages consistent
The last thing you want is for someone to click away from your website thinking they’ve arrived at the wrong place. Every page on your website needs to align consistently with your brand identity. Keep elements such as heading sizes, colors, button styles, fonts, and illustration styles similar throughout the site to create a seamless flow that reinforces your brand.
Optimize page speed
If you’re like most website users, you’ll simply click away and try the next option if a page takes too long to load. No matter the device, people expect a fast result and will quickly exit if they’re not getting it. Make sure that your page speed is optimized to load lightning-fast. A tool like PageSpeed Insights can help you identify where you may be falling short and how to fix it.
Address the SEO basics
There are almost 2 billion websites on the internet, which means high competition for that page one or position one spot in the search engines. It’s crucial to optimize your site for target keywords and search engines as best you can. Here are some SEO marketing tactics to try.
We know that a lot of small businesses don’t know where to start when it comes to SEO, so we’ve created a free eBook: 5 Things Your Small Business Can Do Right Now to Improve SEO. In this free eBook, we focus on five actionable things that you can do right now to start improving your website authority and moving up the ranks.
Measure and manage with analytics tools
You’re putting a lot of hard work into your website and marketing efforts, so it’s vital to track your key performance indicators (KPIs). Google Analytics is by far the most popular and easy-to-use resource—and it’s free! You can analyze your traffic statistics to assess which parts of your site need work, track lead sources, understand demographic data, and gain insights into how well different elements of your site convert. All you need to do to start using Google Analytics is to register, link your business, and add a tracking code to your website.
Take advantage of testimonials
Displaying customer testimonials on your website goes a long way towards building trust in your company; 72% of respondents say positive testimonials and reviews increase their trust in a business. You can use your website to showcase testimonials that explain aspects of your products or services, tell a story about your company, and allow potential customers to connect with your brand.
Don’t have any? Ask your customers! An online reviews strategy can also help you quickly build a library of social proof—an essential component of any business website.
Add social media links and integration
If you’re spending time updating your business socials, be sure to add the links to your website, and vice-versa. Social media integration not only helps promote your business online, but can also help increase your search engine ranking by adding more authority to your online presence.
Need help with any of the components mentioned above?
We specialize in creating beautiful business websites that drive organic traffic, convert visitors into leads, and offer your business a credible presence online. Contact us to learn more about the benefits of a modern, secure, and fully optimized website.
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