The first impression is vital, so it’s important to have a website that stands out and is easy to use.
For small and micro businesses, this may be difficult due to lack of knowledge, resources, time, or budget for designing and developing a fully customized market-ready website.
Every business is different; but there are five web pages that we recommend every SME include in their website to create the best first impression – Home, About, Products or Services, Blog or Portfolio, and Contact.
In this article, we bring you #WebsiteBasics. We describe the purpose of each page, recommended content, and some tips and best practices.
Home Page
Every website needs a Home Page, regardless of the size of the business.
It is the first page that customers land on, so it’s important to establish a good first impression right away.
Research suggests that on average, a website gets only 15 seconds to capture attention, commonly referred to as the ’15-Second Rule’ — If you have not generated interest within 15 seconds, it is unlikely the visitor will explore further.
So, how do we make sure your Home Page captures interest, keeps your audience on your site for longer, and invites them back for more?
#1 Nail Your ‘Above the Fold’ (ATF) Section
Above the fold is a term that refers to all that’s visible when looking at your site without scrolling.
Here are some ways to optimize your ATF
- Introduce your brand with a small logo located on the topmost part of your Home Page.
- Your header must include your other essential pages — ‘About Us,’ ‘Contact Page,’ etc.
- Display a ‘hero section’ that contains your main message and call to action.
- Movement and interaction create interest.
A hero section is located at the top of your Home Page, and it can be a video, an image or text that contains your main message, supporting description and call to action buttons.
#2 ‘Below the Fold’ (BTF) Section
BTF section is what comes under the ATF.
Here are some ways to optimize your BTF:
- Do not display all of your products and services in the Hompage.
- Instead, feature your most popular products, offers, and coupons that will attract new customers.
- Feature important metrics and outcomes that customers can expect from engaging with you.
About Page
The About Page is an opportunity to showcase your company’s story and identity. It builds trust with potential customers by giving them the information they might not find on their own.
It’s important that this page:
- Gives a clear idea of who you are and what your business does.
- Highlight the beginnings and story of your business.
- Introduce your team and describe their expertise/experience in the field.
The About Page also provides the opportunity for people with similar interests to connect with your company at a deeper level.
Products/Services Page
This is where a list of your products and services fall. Products/Services pages are essential because it provides visitors with a quick snapshot of your offering.
Here are some tips you can apply to make your Products/Services page user friendly:
- Organize your products/services by category or alphabetical sub-headers.
- Include search bars and filters to help customers find what they need in an instant.
- Provide a detailed description of what each product or service is and how it can solve customer problems.
- If you have more than five major types of products/services, then those need their own separate page.
Blog Page
Share your company’s latest news, stories and other topics your customers would be interested in through your Blog Page.
Blogs are an inexpensive solution for publishing content online while maintaining the company’s brand voice. It is also an SEO essential – a means to stamp your authority in your field of expertise, introduce new content associated with search keywords and add value to your website.
In some cases, businesses gain popularity from a blog post that made a buzz on social media or was mentioned on a popular website.
Blogs also allow you to reach out and influence people who don’t have an interest in your products at first.
As shared by the American online marketing strategist and author David Meerman Scott, “You can buy attention (advertising). You can beg for attention from the media (PR). You can bug people one at a time to get attention (sales). Or you can earn attention by creating something interesting and valuable and then publishing it online for free.”
Contact Page
Contact Page is for customers who would like to reach out for questions, clarifications, or complaints — an important page for maintaining communication with customers.
In most cases, the Contact Page should:
- Be easily accessible from any point on your site
- Include an email address where your company can be reached (Give a short and simple email!)
- Include a phone number for quick calls and voicemails
- Include the physical address in case there’s an emergency situation
You may also want to provide links to your social media like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter so you can promote your business via frequently used apps.
If you’ve got these five essential pages you’re on the right track to launching a successful small business website!
Don’t know where to start? We’ve got you!
Building a website can be overwhelming, so we’re here to help you build your own website with all the essential pages and more!
What’s more — we provide custom quotations fit for your specific needs at affordable prices!
