June 2024
Your business website setup will have a lot of moving parts: homepage, landing pages, navigation, call-to-actions and maybe even a sales portal. If you want to make the most out of your site, you need to have a few must-have elements.
If you’re asking yourself, “what do I need to build a website?,” you’ll have the answer by the end of this guide.
One of the first things you need to set up a website for a business is a compelling homepage. Your homepage is the gateway to your business and must have a few things:
Imagine that your homepage is a retail store and when people walk in, you want to gain their trust and also showcase your best-selling items (or services). The same concept must be applied to your homepage.
Some businesses will A/B test different homepage layouts and designs to see which ones work best for their audience.
What should a website include beyond a homepage?
Setting up a web page for a business is easy, but the hard part is making sure that visitors have a user-friendly experience with:
Businesses that need websites must present their products or services in an intuitive way. Your navigation and custom web design say a lot about your business to potential customers or clients, and it will also help in terms of search engine optimization.
Well-planned sites will:
These are all crucial elements of a site that can make or break the user experience. For this reason, it’s important to focus on building a user-friendly site that’s quick to load. Speedy load times will help reduce bounce rates and increase conversions.
Statistically, 71% of businesses have a website – your company needs one, too. But your site also needs to be easy to use and navigate, or your visitors will head to a competitor instead.
Speed, layout and design are important, but your site should also include a few important pages, including one that helps customers get to know you a little better.
A business website setup should also include an About Us page that informs visitors on:
You may even want to include information about team members and their bios as well.
It’s important to provide as much background information as possible about your organization to ensure you’re answering all of your potential customers’ questions.
Although it’s tempting to skip this site element, an About Us page is one of the top website must haves. Why? Because it helps visitors get to know you and learn more about your business.
It serves as an opportunity to introduce yourself to potential customers and make a great first impression.
Think of your About page as a vital digital asset. For many businesses, it’s their most-visited page, and yours should be well-designed to show off your organization’s best aspects.
Whether you sell products or services, your website should showcase your offerings. After all, that’s why you’re building your website – to increase your customer or client base.
It is crucial to set up a website for a small business in a way that highlights the features and benefits of your products or services.
There are several ways to achieve this, including:
Your site should also include high-quality photo and video elements that demonstrate how your product works and allow customers to inspect the fine details of each item.
Don’t underestimate the importance of this element of your website. It is the heart and foundation of your site. It should be designed with your customers in mind and in a way that provides all of the information your visitors need.
Every business website setup should include call-to-action (CTA) elements. These are buttons, links and other elements that encourage users to take a specific action, like:
Why are CTAs important? Because they can transform leads into customers. The wording, placement and color of your CTA will impact its effect on conversion rates.
According to HubSpot, the company PartnerStack increased its conversion rate by a staggering 111.55% just by changing its CTA text from “Book a Demo” to “Get Started.”
Implementing CTAs into the design of your site will help improve conversions right from the start. Further A/B testing may be needed to determine which CTAs work best for your site and visitors.
CTA elements can come in many forms. Buttons typically are the most impactful and can easily be built into your website’s layout.
One of the most overlooked website must haves is a privacy policy page. Along with your privacy policy, your site should also include pertinent legal information to ensure you’re compliant with industry regulations.
Your privacy policy tells users:
A well-thought-out privacy policy will help build trust among your users, as it demonstrates your commitment to protecting personal data.
When you set up a website for a business, a privacy policy should be on your list of must-have pages.
When building websites for businesses, it’s crucial to ensure that it includes all of the above elements. Working with an experienced web design agency will help ensure that your site is properly designed with your business in mind.
Contact us today to get a free quote and discuss your website needs.
