Top 6 Things a Good Website Needs

A website is your window on the cyber-world. Millions of people scan the Web each day for information and products to buy. You want them to land on your site, like what they see and then leave with a product.

In a perfect world, it would be easy to sell your products or services. Unfortunately, there is almost nothing new under the sun so if you sell chocolates, chances are there are already a few hundred or thousand (search for “chocolate businesses” and find out the exact number) other people with the same idea. For yours to stand head and shoulders above the rest, consider including the following six things on your website.

1. Forum – Customers like to interact even in cyberspace. A forum not only gives customers a way to interact with you about product suggestions, customer service concerns, content suggestions, but also gives them a way to share with each other about their experiences with your business.
2. Blog – A blog is different from a forum. On a forum you are exchanging ideas, but on a blog, you can add useful content that interests readers and customers that you can’t feature on your main business website. Content on the website is usually geared towards selling your products. A blog is less formal. You can have experts’ guest blog for you to draw in more traffic.
3. Keyword rich content – How do people find information on the Web? They enter keywords in search boxes. When your content, photo tags, headlines, video and audio content contain these keywords in the right percentages (about 3 percent) you will appear high on the search list. People will find you.
4. Easy to Use navigation system – There is nothing more frustrating than clicking on links and going nowhere. Always test your links before you go live. Using buttons and anchor text that clearly explains where the visitor will be redirected to makes for a more user-friendly website.
5. Theme that is appropriate for your niche – A website that sells aromatherapy products probably won’t be covered in neon or leopard print backgrounds. It may ruin the mood you are trying to create. A website that looks professional goes a long way with potential clients. There is nothing wrong with clean lines and subtle colors. Flash will only get you so far with discerning customers.
6. Offer more – Content is still top dog, but people are also wanting more for their money. A website that features not only content, but informative podcasts or videos of their products is probably going to make the sale. When your site is as interactive as possible for your target market, they can get a better feel for who you are as a business owner and learn to trust your product.

Is your website coming up a little short? These six things can help you find favor again with the masses.

About the Author:

Amy Derr seeks to help business owners and organizations market themselves effectively online. She is a Professional Web Designer who owns and operates Insiteful Web Design (http://www.insitefulwebdesign.com), a full-service web design firm.

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