9 Essential Website Elements Every Business Owner Should Know About

In modern times, it’s not enough to just have a website.

The website’s design, usability, and even social media all play a part in how potential customers see you. For business owners who don’t keep up with the times, they risk users clicking away from their sites.

Some of the things you could be doing wrong aren’t that obvious. A minor issue like not putting your contact info in the right place could be bad for business.

If you’re ready to analyze what message your site is giving your users, keep reading.

You’re about to find out the nine website elements you should know about.

1. A User-Friendly Experience

Number one in web design elements for your site is a user-friendly navigation.

Many businesses focus on adding the bells and whistles. Video, flash, and other trendy elements of a web page won’t work if a user is lost on the site.

The layout of your site needs to be organized enough that they can easily find what they want. On every page, both navigation and search features should be prominently placed. All the main pages of the site should have links to them at the top of any page the user navigates to.

2. Responsive Design

Part of that overall user experience is responsive design. We now live in a time where a customer is likely to browse your site on a phone over a computer. The share of global online traffic that is credited to mobile is a whopping 52.64 percent.

Smart website owners make sure that their site performs well on every possible kind of device. By doing this they reap advantages such as improved rankings and access to a broader cross-section of users.

3. Icons for Social Media

Social media icons are important elements that are often overlooked. Every single page on your website should have your icons featured. Don’t think that you have to just place them on the contact page.

The best places on a page for the icons are the header or footer, where they are easily recognizable. The idea here is that the user can find you on social media without having to go hunting for the page. If they have to search too hard, they may bounce off the site or lose interest.

4. Share Buttons

Another aspect of social media is the ability of a user to “share” a particular page on your site. They are a tiny bit of text or button that prompts the user to share content with their social media friends or followers.

The share buttons should be attached to all of the great content you want to highlight. Blog posts are great to share, as are press releases, photo galleries or video content.

The buttons serve two purposes. One, the user engages more with your site. Two, they become free brand ambassadors for your company.

5. Testimonials

Want a quick way to make your site and business more credible? Put a testimonials page on your website.

This page showcases satisfied customers’ comments and details about how your company helped them. A potential customer then feels more confident about doing business with you.

One of the best placements for testimonials is to have a few quotes on the home page. LinkNow does a great job of showcasing testimonials right on the home page. However, there should be a dedicated page where the testimonials are listed as well.

A variation on testimonials is a list of clients, especially bigger names that carry weight. Case studies also work well to go in-depth on how you work.

6. An FAQ Page

So you’ve made a great site and put lots of detail into it about your products and services. Still, there’s a chance that users won’t be able to find the info they need right away. A page for frequently asked questions allows you to answer the basic queries that you get most often.

FAQs can be used to clarify specific misunderstandings. They can also reinforce selling points and state the benefits of your service offering.

Finally, you can use them to overcome any negative objections buyers have.

Say you have an e-commerce site. Think about a reason or reasons that a buyer may not purchase. Maybe they are unsure of the return policy or how long your shipping takes.

7. A Contact Page

Did you know that half of users will leave your site if it has no contact info?

This is one of the absolutely vital elements of a website. It also makes your business look credible and trustworthy.

Use it to display contact information, whether it’s a phone number or email. You should place it so that it’s prominent and easy to find on your site.

You can place the information on the homepage at the top or the bottom. There can also be a separate contact page with full details. These include your mailing address, fax, phone, and social media contacts.

The contact page is also where most companies place a form for a user to submit. This can be used if they have a request or want further information. This way they don’t have to leave the site to contact you.

8. How You Work

When a user visits your site, leave them with the impression that they know exactly what you’re all about.

A page that describes how you work and get the job done is a great tool. Think of it as a simple prospecting tool that pitches your work to them. You can title this page “How We Work”, or “Methodology”.

9. All About You

The final piece of the puzzle is your “About Us” page. Here’s a chance to tell your company story.

If you’re a solo entrepreneur, highlight that and call this page the bio. If you’re a company that’s been in business for decades, say that. This page is your chance to shine.

Put Some New Website Elements on Your Site

Now you’ve got the information on website elements you need, get to adding these new elements to your site now. Add a call to action for even more engagement on each of your pages.

You can read more on our blog about how great website content can help you market your business, even on a budget.

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