Websites can do a ton of dope things and display media and content in various ways. However, there are vital areas to transform your business website that get skipped and make a difference for a business website to be considered the bomb.com and what you should never leave out – regardless of the industry.
There is no one right way to display products – what works best for your business and audience will vary. However, common sense guidelines such as using clear and concise labeling, arranging items in a visually appealing manner, and displaying items prominently are always a good idea.
The last thing you want your site to do is frustrate people. Keep it focused, relevant, clean, and entertaining enough that people want to stay and explore without feeling like they’re venturing through Disney’s Labyrinth.
So let’s get into how to transform your business site for optimal performance and engagement.
Who Cares What I Include on My Business Website?
Google, your website visitors do & so should you.
Your website, especially if used for business, is often the first glimpse that your audience will have into your world & your brand – and hopefully on your own terms. When folks say First Impressions count, they aren’t bullshitting. Rarely will folks come back to you if your website is straight trash.
That’s why it’s important to include specific information that folks are looking for about you and your business (& your industry overall) on your website. This is one of the easiest things to do to transform your business website into a powerful resource. Control how much folks learn about you on your own terms through the site. This allows them to get to know you and navigate with ease to the answers they are looking for.
Your site is there to provide your audience with all the information they need about your business. To transform your business website this includes specific details so that they can understand what you do, why it matters, and who you are.
Do this in such a way that it makes them feel understood and connected with you at the same time. With that end goal in mind, it’s essential to include the following elements on your business website.
Let’s go through these 10 vital areas so you can start boosting your business website now.
10 Vital Areas You Need To Transform Your Business Website
- Unique Content – Content is everything you put on it, from blog posts to the about page. Images, forms, contextual information, the actual words on a “submit” button and more are all considered content. The more you can direct everything toward your ideal client – including making sure every opportunity to appeal to them is taken – the better results you’re going to see.
- Overview of Benefits – Listing benefits on the website is a great way to ensure that the audience understands what they’re getting themselves into. They should walk away from the site knowing all the great benefits of what you have to offer.
- Contact Information – Some people seem to want to hide their contact information. This is a bad idea for any business, especially solopreneurs. Don’t follow some major companies and try to find their contact information using “Find the Queen” strategy with your contact info. Make it easy by using the ‘Contact Me’ page to offer multiple ways that the audience can reach you, including a phone number, email form, or address (that a human will respond from), social media pages, and more.
- Simple Navigation – If you want a successful website, make sure the navigation is easy to understand and intuitive for the audience. This way, they’ll be more likely to use it and stick around longer.
- Comments Section – Make it easy for your audience to comment and read comments from others by creating a blog post or new page for comments. This is a great use of site space, because user-generated content is loved by search engines.
- Clear CTAs – The audience has no idea what to do unless you tell them. Make your calls to action super clear and try to limit them to one or two per page of your website so that they don’t get lost.
- Special Offers – Adding a special offer to the site can help attract more visitors, who may then become customers. This is a great way to keep those interested in your products or services and increase loyalty among your current customer base.
- Email Newsletter/Updates Subscription – Make sure visitors don’t leave without being offered the ability to stay up-to-date on the latest offerings by signing up for a newsletter or email list. You can also offer a Rewards Club to keep loyal participants happy. Pop-unders and sliders are very popular today, so adding them to your website is an excellent way to increase traffic and conversions.
- Popups – There is no one answer to how to optimize pop-ups, as it depends on your audience. What kind of popup frequency do they appear before they opt-in? How long should the popup stay open after the user has opted in? Without testing on your own website or with a third party, it’s difficult to say for sure.
- Privacy, GDPR, & Cookie Policies – As we’ve welcomed 2019 and a slew of online scams and heartaches Privacy Policies are no longer a suggested option. Thanks to the UK and California there are governed laws dictating the requirements of these policies to be live on the site and easily displayed and located. No longer a Google Myth, as of the Fall of 2019 Cookie Policies were and any other disclaimers disclosing the capture and use of website users data must be given. Checked boxes on forms must not be pre-checked and all users must be given the option to opt-out of data capture or be removed easily and immediately from newsletters and all email notifications. So don’t get caught out on that lonely ledge of defiance and get hemmed up with a hefty fine.
- Videos/Audios – Videos and audio have been essential to businesses for a few years now. Long gone are the days that you can place crappy videos and audio up on the website, if you even have any, and keep it pushing. You don’t need Marvel-quality videos but depending on the industry, quality should match expectations. If you’re tight in budget pull your outfit together and find a nice place to sit and record. This can hold you over until you pull your funds together to hire a professional who can help guide you in this area. When it comes to your audio, find a quiet place, and record a quick introduction to the website for visitors. You can later create a video with images or videos of yourself and what you do. If you don’t have videos or images yet, use high-quality stock videos or images.
- Interactive Elements – To create a truly engaging website, consider using lightboxes, media galleries, motion detection graphics and other interactive features to keep your visitors engaged. These assets help make the site feel more alive without detracting from the message you are trying to communicate.
- ADA Compliant – In order to make websites accessible to a wider audience, there has been a shift in web development that allows for disabled users to gain access more easily. This is done by working with software developers who are already familiar with the process, without having to completely overhaul most websites.
- Chat boxes – Chat features have been around for a while now, and they’ve seen a recent resurgence due to the Coronavirus pandemic. This element can be helpful if used correctly, as it allows businesses to stay connected with their customers and clients without overwhelming them. Depending on what you’re looking for, you can set up your chat box and popups in order to achieve specific goals without overwhelming visitors.
The Rundown
Business websites can do a ton of dope things and display media and content in various ways. However, today we will break down what makes a business website the bomb.com and what you should never leave out – regardless of the industry. Websites that make the cut offer users engaging content, easy navigation, helpful features and an aesthetically pleasing design all while providing top-notch security measures to keep your information safe.
Your website will be more effective if you include features that help visitors collect information and complete goals. These features work together to help the business gather data and reach its objectives. Remember to think about how your audience thinks and feels when designing your website, as this is the most important aspect of its success.
Popups can be annoying, but they’re a common way to collect information or sell products. If you don’t like popups, you might want to consider adjusting browser settings so that they aren’t as prevalent. Or, if you’re really opposed to them, there are companies that design custom popups specifically for your website or blog.
To create a successful social media campaign, it’s important to have a plan and make sure the elements you choose are effective. Start by monitoring which aspects of your campaign work well and tweak those that don’t, then share those experiences below!
If you’ve already tried any of these strategies, comment below too, and tell us your results!