Five Critical Features for a Successful Website

Every place we go, everywhere we look, ads are telling us what to do. We have become so reliant on ads that when people are given free choice, we become too overwhelmed to decide. In 2005, Barry Schwartz came out with a book detailing this phenomenon called The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less. Schwartz explains that when potential consumers and clients are offered too many options, they become overwhelmed, anxious, and unable to decide.1 It is because of this time-tested theory that the first feature of your website is so critical: 

1. CALL TO ACTION: Every website must state a clear Call To Action (CTA). A CTA is a statement or a button telling the potential customer what to do. Buy Now, Sign Up, Book An Appointment – these are specific calls to action that direct the customer with what to do next. Without a clear CTA, most potential customers become overwhelmed by a website and will leave within a few seconds. To engage your audience, give them a clear CTA on each page so that they know what you want from them, relieving their anxiety and letting their guard down to explore your website further.

Next, we look at building trust with your audience. People want to know where your company is located. With so many scams on the internet today, showing a location on a website creates a sense of trust, even if your company is global.

2. LOCATION, Location, Location: If you have ever taken a marketing course, one of the most important aspects is location. Providing your location within the coding, as well as on your website, not only establishes consumer trust but will also be a huge help in ranking high in search engine results. Why is this important? Think about the last time you went to the second page of your search results…right?!

Another key feature of a website is fresh content. This shows search engines and consumers that your company is still active and you want to engage. One of the best ways to show up in search results and keep your website active is by uploading monthly blog posts.

3. BLOGS are one of the easiest ways to show up in search results because they are not only helping to inform and address questions that most potential customers have and contain keywords. Keywords help internet searches know what your site is about and which searches your site should appear in. 63% of all shopping journeys begin online,* emphasizing that consumers like to make informed purchases. Product rankings, comparisons, and “top ____” are great blog topics. Blogs are the perfect 2-for-1 win: remain relevant to search engines and help build brand awareness with consumers.

4. CONTACT Information: This is simple. If you want people to buy your product or service, make it easy for them to get ahold of you. Offer several options: email, phone number, contact page, and contact submission form. Ensure your contact page is easy to find and your email is in the header or footer.

Last but certainly not least is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Search engines have algorithms for what websites appear in search results. Those algorithms are constantly changing. When looking for a web designer/developer, ensure they understand SEO. It is worth paying someone to create your website instead of DIY-ing it. Take advantage of the 8.5 billion daily Google Searches through free SEO advertising.

5. SEO Strategy: Some customers will search for your company by name, but most people search for something by category and location (again, see #2). To take advantage of the FREE advertising offered by search engines, have a strong backend to your website (aka coding). Headers, meta tags, alt text, keywords, anchor text, and descriptions are all vital to making the most out of your website, creating more brand awareness, and attracting new clients…for free! If you want your website to rank on the first page continually, implement these features and include backlinks to other sites–and from other sites–which helps show Google that your website is legitimate and worth ranking higher.

Building your website around these critical components will keep your company’s website relevant, help rank in search engine results, and let your potential customers know what you want them to do for the next steps in the decision-making process. When considering your website, ensure you find a web designer that will feature all five components.