Before you jump into a new website for your business, you need to do a basic checklist of things that make up a successful design and to avoid any mistakes that could compromise your own work.
First impressions are everything in the real world and in the virtual world. The way your website looks, acts, and feels can be just as important as the content itself. Without further ado, here are twelve ways you’ll want to focus your website design efforts.
- The Headline – Your headline needs to tell your visitor exactly where they are and what you’re about, with just a few words. Don’t overthink it, just keep it easy to remember.
- Sub-headline – If you have a catchy phrase or company motto to fit here, which says more about your business, this is the place to put it.
- Primary CTA – Your Call-to-Action is what draws the reader’s attention and gets them thinking about their wants and needs. Perfect and refine this as the other steps are null and void if your CTA isn’t very compelling.
- Supporting Image – No one wants to read a wall of text these days, regardless of whatever industry you’re in. Make sure you have a nice, eye-catching and obvious image of what you’re talking about, preferably a picture that the reader can visualize themselves in.
- Benefits – This is going to be a softball pitch that tells the reader why they should bother learning about your product or service. Make it short and sweet, let the rest ease them into it.
- Social Proof – This is your opportunity to build trust with the reader, showing real life examples of people who attest to your credibility, including focus groups or case studies for more proof.
- Navigation – Your website needs to make visitors feel comfortable and not that they clicked on some elaborate advertisement. Make sure you have a nice responsive website theme that will display well on all devices.
- Content Offer – People are less likely to convert if there isn’t some type of special deal to get them through the door. Offering a free eBook or exclusive guide is an easy way to get leads.
- Secondary CTA – You should always offer secondary CTAs on your homepage, even if you are just starting out with zero conversions. Those who are interested in your product or service will always have a possibility to being open for more related info or deals.
- Features – Make sure you include some sort of list somewhere of all the things that your product or service will get them. This is simplest way to display a value in your product.
- Resources – People love to learn, even if they aren’t intending on making a purchase right away, the more they stay engaged with what you have to say, the more likely they are to convert.
- Success Indicators – These should go hand-in-hand with your testimonials. Any awards, accolades, or other third-party recognitions you might have should go here.
