There are a number of crucially important website elements that should be included in any business site in order to maximize effectiveness and provide a positive return on your website investment.
There are some overarching best practices that all businesses should keep in mind when developing a website, such as having a sensible domain name, good hosting and security, a nice, modern design, fresh content on a regular basis, good mobile usability, etc. We won't go into those here, but they certainly cannot be ignored when developing your site.
We've compiled a list for you of ten of the most crucial website elements with which any good developer that's worth their salt should be intimately familiar. You may come up with some exceptions to these rules under unique circumstances, but if there's no really good reason to omit one of these items, don't, unless you are not concerned about maximizing the effectiveness of your site.
We're putting this one first because it's simultaneously the most important and the most neglected aspect of website design. It's one thing to hand someone a brochure and walk away. It's another thing altogether to hand someone a brochure and then invite them to engage in a process that will lead to a sale.
Tell your audience why they should take action. Using the above examples, the video could say something like, "Watch this short video to see our product in action." For a freemium signup it could say, "Start taking advantage of our features today." The idea is to provide more than just a call-to-action, but to provide the "why" of the action.
There are a handful of elements that visitors look for right away. Some look for the "About" page. Some look for a contact form. Some want to see your blog. Make a list of the things that your particular audience might be looking for and make a prominent nav menu with just those items. Menu items can also be grouped into dropdown menus to keep things clean and organized. Navigation can also include category teasers.
It's a good idea to sit down next to some people who are not familiar with your business and watch where they go. Have them tell you out loud what they are looking for. For example, imagine a tree nursery website. When shoppers land on this website, they're not looking for you to tell them why you're so great, how you've been in business forever, how you've got acres and acres of trees, and so on. They're looking for hedges, shade trees, fruit trees, and so on—categories. Determine what people are looking for when they land on your site and make it not just easy to get to, but put it smack dab in the middle above the fold so they instantly know they are in the right place.
Put it in a bar above your top header and nav menu along with an email address or contact form link, and a phone number. Some businesses, such as those that provide software as a service (SaaS) don't want people calling them every time they have a question, and so will leave out a phone number. At the very least, put some information or a link to your contact form in the footer.
The vast majority of web traffic today happens on social networks. That not only includes sites such as Linkedin, Facebook, and Twitter, but also media sites such as YouTube and Instagram. Put a row of icons that link to your social media pages somewhere on every page, either at the top bar, in the footer, or down the side.
Even more vital are share links that allow your visitors to share your content on their own social media channels or embed it on their website. It's literally free advertising and can be great for SEO.
Trust elements include things like BBB A+ icon, industry association icons, testimonials, links to review sites, awards, certifications, etc. Also, if you offer guarantees and warranties, spell them out right up front! Don't make them small print items at the bottom of a product or service page.
A short informational video on your homepage gives visitors immediate gratification. Keep the initial videos to a couple or three minutes and then direct them to more comprehensive videos.
Videos don't have to have Hollywood budgets. People today understand that everyone has a webcam or a smartphone and are fine with no-budget videos. In fact, having an introductory video that's too slick can be a turnoff to some. Make sure your video features people talking directly to and about the viewer, and not just a bunch of product images, features, and benefits. People want to do business with people, not companies. Talk to them.
Popup capture forms are extremely effective, but don't make the mistake of springing on your visitors before they've even had a chance to check out your site. It's annoying and increases bounce rates. Also, again, as with the call-to-action, make sure you provide a reason for them to give you their email address. It could be as simple as a freebie such as an ebook, a periodical newsletter, or access to a valuable webinar or report.
There are other important website elements as well, but the ones listed here are paramount to your website's effectiveness as a sale tool.