Every modern entrepreneur should appreciate the benefits of boasting a brilliant company website. Unfortunately, very few manage to utilize this incredible tool to its full capabilities. In most cases, it's because people fail to grasp what is actually required from their platforms.
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Some features may be dictated by your industry or location. Nonetheless, there are several general factors that all modern business websites should boast. Take note of these 10 key elements before launching or redeveloping your site, and it’ll be sure to bring the desired results.
#1. A Great First Impression
Gaining a visitor to the website is a breakthrough in itself, but it’ll count for nothing if they immediately leave. You only get one shot to make a positive initial impact, and this is the first step en route to turning interest into sales. This is why the design aspects of the page are essential.
Overcomplicating things is the most common trap that inexperienced designers fall for. Simplicity is king as the customer experience should be enjoyable. More importantly, though, you must ensure that the color schemes and logos fit in with your brand. Otherwise, those mixed messages will turn audiences away.
Making a positive first impression won’t guarantee a sale by any means. However, you’ll have zero chance of winning customers if they don’t stick around to view your products and services. If the design isn’t right, you shouldn’t even think about going live.
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#2. Easy Navigation
Simplicity isn’t only vital for the design. It should also be the main focus when looking at the navigational properties of the website. If it becomes a struggle for customers to access the information that they’re looking for, they’ll soon give up and take their custom elsewhere. Consequently, clarity should be top of the agenda.
It’s important to put yourself in the shoes of the user. Most customers have certain expectations regarding the mechanics of a website. From placing contact details in a clear fashion to using menus in a suitable manner, every element is vital. Abandoning those features can leave them feeling alienated.
Essentially, you don’t just require a website that looks good. It must boast the user-friendly factor too. Without it, those visits will be very brief indeed.
#3. The Return Visit Factor
In most cases, visitors won’t buy your products on the first visit. After all, it’s only natural that they’ll want to analyze their options. Giving them an additional reason to come back to your site will boost your chances of converting the sale.
A static website can be viewed as quite boring and dull. Adding a blog can be a great way to keep things fresh. Furthermore, the rich content gives you the perfect opportunity to establish your authority in your chosen field. When handled in the right manner, you can also promote products and services with a soft sell approach.
Encouraging customers to revisit builds their familiarity with the brand. In turn, this can create a stronger connection while establishing a sense of trust in the process. If that doesn’t increase the probability of sales, nothing will.
#4. A Strong Web Presence
Satisfying the expectations of the visitor is one thing, but getting them to visit in the first place is another altogether. If yours is an established offline company, it may be possible to create some traffic on the back of those reputations. Nonetheless, digital marketing is essential if you’re ever going to unlock the full potential of your site.
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External platforms are your best friend in this case. Even if you decide against using a web designer, developing a strong SEO strategy is something where an expert touch is needed. After all, the impact of getting on the first page of Google is monumental. Not only will it increase the traffic dramatically. More importantly, those visits will come from users actively looking for your type of products.
Standing out online instantly encourages new users to look favorably on the business too. The natural instinct is to believe that visibility equates to quality. Frankly, it could be one of the most vital factors for staying ahead of the competition.
#5. Mobile Accessibility
The online arena is a very competitive field, and it has undergone huge evolutions in recent times. As a business owner, it’s imperative that your site is built to cope with the current trends and demands. While the basic mechanics of a great website don’t change, the manner in which people access data is far different. Nowadays, mobile optimization is vital.
Studies show that modern audiences are more likely to access websites via their smartphones and tablets than a computer. If your online content fails to make the same level of impact on those platforms, you’re instantly cutting the potential of the site in half. In today’s climate, launching an App is the ideal solution. At the very least, though, the site should be optimized for the handheld screens.
The need for mobile success will only continue to grow over the coming years. If your website ignores it now, you will suffer in both the immediate and long-term.
#6. Social Media Integration
While using their smartphones, users are constantly interacting with friends via social media. Moreover, they are connecting with brands and companies in the process. This makes those platforms a great asset to have your disposal.
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Joining the conversation by commentating on events and connecting with users can be very influential. Moreover, adding share buttons to your site encourages customers to share blog posts or product pages to their friends and family. This essentially leads to free marketing and can help grow the audience without any extra effort.
If nothing else, seeing your brand on social media further enhances that familiarity and sense of trend. For an advanced approach, you can use tools like Facebook Pixel to make future marketing campaigns work harder too.
#7. Professionalism
Buying products from an online company for the first time is quite a daunting thing for the consumer. Sadly, there are companies out there that will act in a dishonest manner. As such, your website needs to show clients that the business can be trusted.
The fundamental features such as buying a domain name can make a world of difference to those user reactions. On a similar note, creating fair return policies can go a long way to putting those fears to bed. Use testimonials to take the client confidence to an even greater level, and positive impacts are assured. Above all else, though the data protection needs to be of the highest standard.
Once you’ve gained that first sale, the quality of your products and services should keep them coming back for more. The key thing is to ensure that your site does all it can to complete that initial transaction.
#8. Offer Easy Payments
If the purpose of the website is to sell items, it’s vital that customers are able to complete their purchases. Online consumers may wish to use a variety of payment methods. Frankly, losing sales because a client cannot finish the transaction would be nothing short of business suicide.
A modern ecommerce platform should accept card payments, PayPal, and other online currencies. Once again, the security features need to be right too. After all, one breach of customer data could ruin your reputation for many years to come.
When serving a global audience, it’s worth adding translations of your content too. Without this feature, consumers may be left a little confused. In turn, those fears could be enough to end their interest in completing the deal.
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#9. Cost Efficiency
Above all else, the website is a tool that should generate money for the business. As such, it’s imperative that financial aspects are remembered at all times. If the online platform doesn’t offer value for money, it’s a counterproductive asset.
Developing and launching a successful site does require capital. Funding the project using loans with online installment plans means you'll avoid missed payments. This will inevitably prevent the overall cost from snowballing. However, it’s still vital that you find the best solutions for the company needs. Knowing what’s included with the web hosting plan is essential. Or else you could be left facing hidden fees.
The website may be able to pay for itself through online advertising spaces. Not all business will want to promote other companies on their domains. However, it is something worth considering as those sources can generate a serious amount of revenue.
#10. Easy Management
First and foremost, the website should look great right now. However, the business should be focused on sustainability. As such, the website should reflect this by being easy to maintain and develop.
Essentially, this boils down to choosing a framework that boasts an user-friendly CMS system. This is what will allow you to add blog posts and new products to keep the site looking great, and the business performing as it should.
When the website is built for immediate and long-term success, it can become the company’s greatest asset. Increased exposure and sales revenues await.
