Launching a Website - 8 Top Tips for Your Online Shop Window
Katie Batchelor
Whether you own a start-up or small business, it’s important to know exactly what your website should include and why.
Websites don’t just need great graphic design, there are many other elements you need to consider for your website to be customer friendly.
From contact information to customer reviews, here’s a list of essentials that your website should include to help you do business.
Websites don’t just need great graphic design, there are many other elements you need to consider for your website to be customer friendly.
From contact information to customer reviews, here’s a list of essentials that your website should include to help you do business.
1. Clearly Outline Your Company
When a user visits your website, they shouldn’t have to spend time trying to work out what your business does. A clear description summing up your products and services on your homepage will instantly gain your visitors attention and encourage them to stay on your site.
At Deearo Marketing we use the Grunt test to ensure our website retain as many customers as possible without them ‘bouncing’ (leaving the site without finding further information). It’s important to not only tell your visitors who you are and what you do, but HOW you can help them.
It’s also useful to include another section on your website which explains what your company is about, the company origins, your goals and what services/products you offer. Show your excitement and passion about the company through a clear and concise message to your site’s visitors.
It’s also useful to include another section on your website which explains what your company is about, the company origins, your goals and what services/products you offer. Show your excitement and passion about the company through a clear and concise message to your site’s visitors.
2. Simple Web Address
Choose a web address that reflects your brand and is easy for your customers to remember. Avoid using numbers or dashes as they aren’t as useful for SEO and can easily confuse customers.
‘.com’ is a one of the best extensions as most people tend to type this when searching for a web address, but to best keep control of your brand, we’d recommend purchasing multiple extensions to avoid any traffic getting lost!
‘.com’ is a one of the best extensions as most people tend to type this when searching for a web address, but to best keep control of your brand, we’d recommend purchasing multiple extensions to avoid any traffic getting lost!
3. Straightforward Site Map
A site map and clear links to the different pages on your website are crucial to help navigate customers to the information that they are looking for. Dropdowns in the navigation menu are useful so that the user can see the content under every heading from any page.
If your visitors can easily navigate your site and find information readily, your chances of converting them increase and bounce rates are generally lower.
If your visitors can easily navigate your site and find information readily, your chances of converting them increase and bounce rates are generally lower.
4. Clear Contact Information
You wouldn’t want to lose out on business to a competitor just because a potential customer couldn’t find any contact info for you. The best position for contact information is the top left or top right corner of your website’s homepage.
It’s even easier for users to notice your contact info if it’s on every page of your website as a footer. Include several ways for customers to contact you – phone, email and/or contact form, or if you’ve got the resources, try a pop-up form or chat bot on your site!
Including your company’s address and a link to your location in Google Maps is useful for customers to know exactly where you are located, even if you’re an online business. Visitors like to know you’re legitimate!
Including your company’s address and a link to your location in Google Maps is useful for customers to know exactly where you are located, even if you’re an online business. Visitors like to know you’re legitimate!
5. Customer Reviews
Customers love to hear stories and experiences from real people, it helps them to confirm whether the product/service advertised will meet their needs.
Positive reviews about your company will help establish your credibility. When a potential customer reads these reviews on your website, their trust in your company will increase and they will be more likely to do business with you confidently.
These reviews can be embedded from other sites to add credibility to the testimonials, or built into your website for consistency.
Positive reviews about your company will help establish your credibility. When a potential customer reads these reviews on your website, their trust in your company will increase and they will be more likely to do business with you confidently.
These reviews can be embedded from other sites to add credibility to the testimonials, or built into your website for consistency.
6. Call-to-Action
Tell your website visitors exactly what you want them to do. E.g. ‘Call now for a free quote’, ‘Add to cart’ or ‘Sign up for our newsletter’.
Use bold buttons where possible, so that your customers know exactly where to click and where they will be redirected. Ensure the messaging is clear and directional, in order to give your visitors a smooth journey from initial visit through to engagement.
Use bold buttons where possible, so that your customers know exactly where to click and where they will be redirected. Ensure the messaging is clear and directional, in order to give your visitors a smooth journey from initial visit through to engagement.
7. Include Original and Quality Content
Content is what sets your website apart from your competitors’ websites. Your content should be informative and valuable for your customers. Owned media is anything you have full control of and it is important to utilise for SEO (search engine optimisation) as well as user experience.
When your website offers valuable content for users, Google recognises your site as being useful and reliable so it will start to move your site towards the top of the SERP (search engine results page).
Use the correct keywords related to your business in your website text, include lots of links, page titles, images and videos.
Writing regular blog posts on your website are a good way to include quality and useful information for visitors to your website. Give your users what they are looking for, but also a reason to come back to your website.
When your website offers valuable content for users, Google recognises your site as being useful and reliable so it will start to move your site towards the top of the SERP (search engine results page).
Use the correct keywords related to your business in your website text, include lots of links, page titles, images and videos.
Writing regular blog posts on your website are a good way to include quality and useful information for visitors to your website. Give your users what they are looking for, but also a reason to come back to your website.
8. User-friendly Design
Web users usually scan a web page first, to sample the content. Once they’re interested in the content, they will then take the time to read the full story.
To enhance your user’s experience on your website, organise your website content for scanning.
Break text down into short paragraphs and include headers where necessary.
Use bullet points.
Highlight important words, phrases and links.
Simplicity and basic colours work the best but overall your content is the main focus.
To enhance your user’s experience on your website, organise your website content for scanning.
Break text down into short paragraphs and include headers where necessary.
Use bullet points.
Highlight important words, phrases and links.
Simplicity and basic colours work the best but overall your content is the main focus.
