10 Things You Should Consider Putting in Your Website

Why are these features a must-have in my website?

High conversion website design should consist of a solid “About Page”, Call to actions, dummy-proof site map, search functions and more

Business websites are often the first point of contact between consumers and brands, needless to say, websites have become a default set-up for any emerging or well-established brand looking to pivot to a digitised business model. 

Websites meant for converting leads into sales should look clean, professional and have a consistent brand treatment. Not forgetting that brand objectives should be intuitive to whoever stumbles across the site and doesn’t require the viewer too much time to figure out the site’s purpose. All of these can be perfected through quality UI and UX design. 

A business site can have dynamic objectives, some are informative and others are seeking to turn a high return on investment but the features mentioned should be at the top of the priority list. 

Additionally, it can be a crucial component of your digital marketing campaign and generate a decent base of returning customers. 
Not forgetting that a well designed site saves energy and keeps our earth green!

A solid ‘about the team’ page

Pages featuring information on the team working on the brand used to be seen as filler pages but sites with team introductions have actually been known to report higher sales levels and greater conversion rates. This is simply because having it known that there exists a group of like-minded individuals who are servicing the client makes the business appear more personable and authentic. 

Although e-commerce has taken off, consumers alike are still drawn to experiences that they can relate to and by telling stories or putting narratives out there that they can identify with makes it easier to capture their attention and add value. 

Technology is extremely pervasive and can easily replace aspects of our daily lives that used to be serviced via manual labour; however, businesses can automate the experience but they do not have to remove all elements of hospitality that came with the brand identity.

Search functionality

A search function is essentially a search bar. Ever heard of ‘just Google it?’. Prioritising little things like a search function will dramatically improve the user experience on the site. For example, using Javascript to remove default letters in the search bar helps the user to automatically input and locate their search.

Instant gratification is important for users of a younger demographic and a search bar within the site reduces the duration of locating for a specific product instead of having to navigate through a wide-breadth of items.

This is especially important for e-commerce sites attempting to grab as many leads as possible as without the search bar users might go on a generic search engine and essentially lose sales to a competitor brand. Statistically, sites with a search functionality have a higher consumer returning rate than those that do not have a search function.

A dummy-proof site map

A dummy proof site map follows the standard layout of any conventional business site and is necessary for easy and uncluttered navigation. One of the easiest ways to organise information is to have it categorised under the drop down menu that displays all the other sub-categories.

Logistically speaking, it makes it easier for the administrative team to manage , organise and even conduct site maintenance. During the web design planning phase, linking your sitemap to the homepage makes it easy for search engines to find and lead it back to your site, creating a SEO-friendly hotspot for organic traffic.

Social Media plugins

Social media plugins are a great way to spread the word and build a community around the brand, most businesses make the mistake of having plugins without a robust marketing strategy which results in wasted digital footprint. To build a community of like-minded individuals who connect over your brand is essential when it comes to developing a strong pool of returning users.  

Of course, cementing your digital footprint with a solid social media presence is a default in 2021, visually pleasing aesthetics and a timely content line-up is the standard formula to boost engagement. 

Having social media plugins improves site SEO and turns potential leads into recurring consumers so, consider using popular platforms such as Instagram, Facebook or even Tik Tok to spread the word today!

Pillar pages 

Pillar pages are made up of comprehensive SEO-optimisation strategies. As pages, not sites rank on Google, it is important to have pages that are filled with keywords and links that are optimised for search engines. 

Pillar pages come in several forms, namely, the 10X content pillar page, resource pillar page and product or service pillar page. The 10X content pillar page is similar to a downloadable resource such as a free digital library or educational site; however, the content must add sufficient value for the reader to leave their contact information in order for the resource to be successfully downloaded. Your business then gets to follow up on the lead with the contact information provided.  

A resource pillar page is essentially an encyclopedia of pre-researched information, insights or blogs that are made of external links. These links are related to the subject matter and improves the site’s ranking when the domain authorities are linked highly as it tells the search engine that the content on the site is credible.

Last but not least the service pillar page is great for business sites that offer a wide range of services and products and can benefit from a system of subscriptions or pay-per-click. 

Content management system

Content management systems have popped up everywhere on the internet thanks to the average consumer’s ever-growing appetite for content. With higher standards in place for consumable content, not only do these marketing collaterals have to be constantly refreshed, they have to stay on top of market trends, provide perspectives from diverse viewpoints and value-add. With these expectations in mind, it falls on the onus of the business to plan a robust content strategy for their site and the last thing they need is an overly technical software as a content management system.

 Some of the commonly used CMS software these days such as WordPress, Wix and Joomla have an easy to use interface that allows administrators of the site to add, modify and delete content without any specific technical knowledge such as coding or programming. Most softwares have in-built analytic tools, along with personalisation options and SEO support, making it ‘dummy-proof’ and fuss-free for asset management. 

Data Analytics tools 

One of the pitfalls of websites is to be a static or brochure page, providing all the essential information on a business or product but not engaging with the consumers enough to generate revenue. 

Data analytic tools are important to breakdown what is working and what is not on the site, it provides insight on user behaviour and enables the brand to make smarter decisions. Some of the most commonly used analytics tools are Google analytics, Spring metrics and Woopra. Woopra, for example, feeds the user real-time analytics whereas Google analytics could take hours. 

Unless the software you’re using consists of in-built analytics tools, you would have to source for a third party site that usually works on a package subscription that consists of a cocktail of differing features. If your business leverages heavily on data, then a more comprehensive plan would be required with specifications in mind depending on the site objective.

Call to action  

A call to action is essentially a cue to tell the reader what to do and how to proceed with the information presented. This can be done in a couple of ways such as utilising a call to action button that features a form that has to be filled in with contact information in exchange for excess to certain information or for a short trial on a service/ product. Using action-words or verbs such as ‘click here’ or ‘sign up now’ is direct signposting and pushes the user to take action and continuously interact with the site.

Product/ Customer testimonials 

Customer testimonials usually come in the form of worded reviews with images of the product or a profile shot of a satisfied customer. Getting authentic reviews are a great way to pad up claims made by your business, especially with consumers conducting their own research online to compare and contrast similar products or services that they’re looking to purchase. Testimonials are commonly used for brands to build rapport with new customers especially with e-commerce becoming the norm, it is important to find ways to constantly connect with consumers that might turn into leads and returning customers. The reiteration of efficacy that builds trust with new consumers. 
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