These days, it’s simply not enough to just have a website. For small businesses to compete today, they must ensure that their web presence covers all the important features, such as usability and mobile-friendliness. Otherwise, not only will your site fail to keep visitors engaged, but you probably won’t attract them in the first place. That said, here are five fundamentals that every small business website absolutely, positively must have.
Clear, Concise Purpose
You only have mere seconds to keep a web visitor from leaving your site. What is the very first thing they will see? For best results, this should be a promise or purpose – a headline that demonstrates that you understand exactly what your prospects’ problems are and that you have the solution they’re looking for. Make sure you position this statement at the top of your landing page, above the fold and in a way that it will be seen the moment your visitors arrive.
Core Services
In addition to your main purpose, you want to make it quick and easy for your web visitors to determine what it is you offer without having to dig around your site. A bullet-pointed list of your core services or product offering is a great start. You can then either make this list clickable or include a dropdown menu that will bring visitors to individual pages to provide them with more detail on the service or product they’re interested in.
Contact Information
The purpose of your website is to draw in leads and get them into your sales funnel. The next step following a visit to your site will typically be reaching out, either by email, web form or telephone. Make sure your site makes it super easy to get in touch by making contact information readily available. Don’t forget to make your phone number clickable so your mobile visitors can call you in one click.
Up-to-Date Content
If a person stumbles upon your website and finds outdated news, you’re going to lose them pretty quickly. You want to make sure your content is up-to-date and relevant to your audience. This shows them that you’re a trusted resource in your industry because you stay on top of what’s happening. Fresh, regularly updated content is also really good for SEO, so you’ll improve your site’s performance in the search engines at the same time.
Calls to Action
Last, but certainly not least, your website should contain clear and compelling calls to action. Never just assume that people will take that next step you want them to take. Tell them to do so by using action language, like “Call now,” “Sign up today,” or “Click here!” And, of course, make the next steps as easy as possible. If you want people to subscribe to your newsletter, for example, provide a form that’s as short as possible. Otherwise you may miss out on the opportunity to win that lead.
Is your website missing any of these key elements? If so, it’s time for an update.
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