Crucial Elements Every Website Should Have
People put their best foot forward during job interviews. They get fresh haircuts, don their best suits, make sure they don't have spinach stuck in their teeth -- long story short, they try to make the best first impression possible.
Every time a new person lands on your website, your business goes through a "job interview" of sorts. People are critiquing what they see in detail, establishing an opinion of you, and determining if you're worth getting to know further, and doing business with.
Is your website making the right first impression?
Elements Every Website Homepage Should Have
What exactly do you want to include on your website? That can vary from industry to industry, but there are several must-have elements that every website needs to have across the board:
A Clear Value Proposition
Tell your visitors exactly what you do with a clear, easy-to-find value proposition. This may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be shocked at how many websites out there don't have one.
If people don’t have an understanding of what your company does, who it does it for, and how it does it differently, they are not likely to stick around to find out. Set the tone early with a brief and to the point value proposition.
Links to Social Media
You want people to follow and engage with your company on your social media. So, on your homepage place social media buttons in a consistent, conventional place, where people can easily find them when needed
Increasing your social following helps increase the number of eyes that are on your content and are more likely to click back to your website on a regular basis.
Intuitive Navigation
Your navigation should be easy to understand and use for a first-time visitor. You want someone to arrive on your website and know exactly where they can find the information they want and need without being confused.
It should also reflect your buyer's typical behavior on your site by bringing the pages they visit most often to the forefront. For example, if your blog is your most highly trafficked page, make it easily accessible through your navigation. Don't hide your big sellers!
Contact Info
How many times have you been in need of tech support or customer service, but couldn't get someone on the phone to save your life?
Don't put your prospects in the same position.
Visitors should be able to find your contact information easily on your homepage. Most commonly found in the footer, your homepage should include a mailing address, email address, and phone number in case someone is interested in reaching you.
People want to work with people. Having this information readily available offers comfort by letting people know they can get a hold of someone if need be and also adds credibility, making it clear that this is the homepage of a legitimate business.
If you're worried about being on the phone all day, establish "help hours" or even consider a live chat.
Client Testimonials
Research shows that 79% of consumers trust online reviews and testimonials as personal recommendations from their friends or peers. So, if your company has positive reviews from your previous or current customers, capitalize on them!
Let your potential customers know that you're not just boasting about accomplishments. Testimonials build trust and lets people know they can feel confident in choosing you -- you the social proof that shows it.
Overview of Services/Features
Your value proposition and video may give customers a brief overview of what your company does, but it in terms of content, it is still important to include these features, products, or services on your homepage.
Having this information present on the page offers a bit more detail for prospects and also helps your page rank higher for those services in search engines.
Any Awards, Certifications, or Associations
Has your company received any awards or recognition lately? Don’t let those awards just collect dust in your office; put them on display!
Industry recognition like this builds credibility, speaks to the quality of your work, and supports your image as an expert in your field and a trusted business partner. Like testimonials, awards, certifications, and associations prove that you're not just tooting your own horn; your work lives up to the hype!
A Clear Call-to-Action (or Two)
When someone arrives on your homepage, let alone any page on your website, it should be clear what action you want them to take next.
On your homepage, this is usually a "top-of-the-funnel" action such as subscribing to your blog and/or a "bottom-of-the-funnel" like requesting a consultation. Sit down with your team and decide on what one or two actions you really want people to take when land on your site. Having more than this will only confuse your visitor and clutter your buyer's journey.
