10 Must Have Website Elements for 2018
Posted on 19th October 2017
Is your small business website performing as it should do?
A great website is one that provides real, measurable value to your organisation – whether that’s generating leads, educating your audience, building trust in your business or making sales.
In 2018 more than ever before, a website needs to fulfil certain criteria if it’s going to fulfil its potential – here’s our list of the top 10 essential elements.
1. A defined purpose
If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there!
Every great website needs a clearly defined purpose – what you’re trying to achieve, who you’re trying to reach, how you’re going to engage with them, and what you want them to do.
Every page on your website should be created with a clear goal in mind – remember that, and everything else will be easier.
2. Responsive design
In 2018, your customers could be accessing your site from any number of different devices – desktops, laptops, tablets or smartphones, or a combination of all of these. In fact, mobile device traffic now makes up around 60% of total web traffic.
Your website needs to look good, and work well on all these different devices and screens. Responsive design is no longer optional, it’s essential.
3. Easy navigation
Your website needs to be easy to use – and clear, simple navigation is integral to this. Forget artsy interfaces and innovation - web visitors need to be able to find the information they are looking for quickly and easily, or they will go elsewhere.
4. Clear calls to action
This ties into number one. Every page on your website should have a clear goal, and a call to action that ties into that goal. Think about what you want your visitors to do – whether that’s buy a product, call a number, fill out a form or sign up to a newsletter, and ensure that each page reflects that with a clear call to action.
5. Reliable hosting
The best website can be ruined by poor quality hosting. Web visitors expect your site to load quickly and to be live and working at all times – if they can’t get onto your site, or it’s too sluggish, they will go elsewhere.
Teaming up with a reliable, high quality hosting partner, who is there to provide you with support and advice if your website ever goes down is a worthwhile investment.
6. Trust factors
People buy from organisations that they trust – and every website should include elements that reassure visitors that an organisation is a dependable, reliable and high quality provider.
Including information about industry accreditations, case studies, testimonials, association memberships, guarantees or awards will all help to build trust with your web visitors.
7. Clear contact information
Make it as easy as possible for web visitors to do business with you – and nothing turns off potential customers more than being unable to get in touch.
Having an up to date phone number, email address, contact form and directions to your company (where appropriate) are essential. Think about your website users, and integrate useful contact features – like a click to call number for smartphone users.
8. Engaging copy
Content is king, and great web copy will improve any website. Impactful headlines, clear descriptions, and interesting, easy to read content that’s appropriate for your market and pitched at the right level for your audience is invaluable.
Great content engages with all your target visitors on different levels – providing essential info at a glance, and layers of in-depth content for those who want to read more.
9. Great video
Video content is extremely powerful, and is a great way of improving the performance of your website. It’s the perfect medium for delivering messages quickly, entertaining and engaging with website visitors, differentiating your business from the competition and driving additional traffic to your site.
10. Quality images
A picture speaks a thousand words – and poor photography and unsuitable images can ruin the best web design.
Investing in unique, professional imagery that reflects your business and supports your sales messages will give off the right impression to web visitors. Great images that complement your web design will also help you to showcase your personality and build a brand – boosting the performance of your website.
Great websites from it’seeze Web Design Ryedale
Does your website tick all the boxes on this list?
If the answer is no, then contact it’seeze Web Design Ryedale today. We’re here to help drive your business performance online with a fantastic, custom-designed website that you can edit yourself. You won’t find industry jargon or tech speak here – just beautiful websites designed to work in the modern world.
Tagged as: Online Marketing
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