The public expects more and more from companies these days. They’re not going to simply walk into a business unit and request a paper catalogue. They’ll want to see an online presence on websites and social media. In this article we discuss the Qualities Every Business Website Should Have.
As more and more companies go online, it’s harder to stand out and get your voice heard above the competition. As a result, companies increase the services and information available on their websites.
In turn, this becomes expected by the searching public. This process never stops, and it can be a real challenge for companies.
Having said that, it creates an opportunity for some to rise above the others and to increase their market share. This article will set out some key qualities a business website should possess.
Table of Contents
Accessibility
If people are looking for goods and services, your website needs to appear high in the search results, no matter which browser or search engine is being used.
Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, is crucial for this process as it discovers the key search words people are entering for that niche. These words need to appear in key places on the website.
Photos may be helpful and relevant for customers online but they won’t assist with peoples’ Google searches. Experts at Envisage Digital say that half of their website viewers are using mobile phones and tablets.
This means that websites must be fully functional whether someone is using a computer or another device. The experts also provided 24/7 support for their websites, which in turn helped maintain accessibility.
Contact Information
Customers want to see a range of ways they can contact businesses. They’ll be looking online for phone numbers, addresses and email addresses.
Some companies offer the chance for people to chat online in order to resolve their queries instantly. Others provide an online form to submit, containing details of the enquiry and an email address for the response.
The latest innovation is an opportunity for customers to opt-in to SMS marketing.
Good Content
People like to have accounts with companies online because of the data they can access at any time. This would answer such questions as ‘has my money been taken?’ or ‘what is the expected delivery date’? Customers regularly use the Frequently Asked Questions pages or ‘How To?’ sections that include online tutorials.
In addition to text and pictures, video content features more and more as part of the customer experience.
Many businesses have online catalogues as well as paper ones. With the aid of drop-down menus, a host of helpful information can be made available. More and more companies are adding customer reviews to their product information pages too.
Links to other quality sites (including their own social media pages) also help promote the website’s SEO.
Needless to say, everything needs to be kept up to date and every question answered, or people will take their business elsewhere. The same goes for clunky and non-user friendly website navigation.
Security
It is crucial for companies to have secure sites that are legally compliant. This includes having a privacy policy and disclaimer of terms of service page. If people are entering their credit card numbers it’s also highly important to protect this information.
Passwords should be encrypted to provide protection too. Many log on screens have two-step verification now. People, first of all, enter their password, and then a several-digit number that has been sent to their mobile phone, for example.
Sometimes children access websites unsupervised, so something needs to be put in place to shield them from sensitive data or material.
Branding
People need to know the company and what it’s about. It’s important to create a consistent brand and company image. The company’s logo should be clearly demonstrated on the website, alongside a strapline or mission statement.
The bio of a key person often appears on the home page too, perhaps with a video message.
The colour scheme should fit together too. If the logo is bright green, for example, there should be plenty of matching colours on each page. Potential customers will be put off if the overall effect is cluttered or random.
Business websites should be easy to find and user-friendly, no matter what search engines, devices or computers are used.
They should provide a number of ways for potential customers to get in contact, as more and more people these days want 24/7 access.
A host of helpful content should exist that assists everyone from potential customers to existing ones wanting an online after-service. The website must offer security and privacy as regards customer data, and a clear brand should be demonstrated.
Altogether, this will create a quality website that is best placed for growing the business and supporting the public.
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