Ever wondered what the most important website features are, and if your website is delivering the goods?
Something we say a lot is that your website is the digital shopfront of your business. With more people engaging with businesses online than ever, user experience design is no longer the future; it’s a necessity now! And if you’re still using an outdated website or, worse, don’t have one, then are you really giving your business the best shot for success?
We’ve explored six important website features that businesses need to succeed digitally. If you aren’t seeing the leads and conversions you want from your current website, these tips might identify a few missing elements to improve your digital space.
1. First impressions count – is your website up to scratch on first look?
Think about it – how often do you stroll into a shop with a drab window front, peeling paint, and a man behind the sales counter named Spencer who doesn’t acknowledge you when you walk in? Of course, you really want that vase, but are you likely to buy from Spencer or shop elsewhere?
First impressions count when it comes to attracting customers to your physical shop. And the same is true for your website! For example, 94 per cent of users create their first impression of a website based on web design alone.
There are some questionable websites out there – outdated, with a dreaded long loading time, and no real direction. Some feel like you are walking into IKEA without a real plan.
Importantly, people today have a shorter attention span than ever. For example, 47 per cent will wait just two seconds for a site to load before leaving if the site isn’t serving the purpose they need.
You’ve got about 50 milliseconds to win over a visitor through your website’s overall functionality and look; they have already formed an opinion within this short time frame. The pressure to impress is higher than a first date. So how can you make a good impression?
Using a versatile platform to build your site on is key, and that’s why The Marketing GP use WordPress. Not only is it the world’s most preferred platform, but it’s also the easiest for you to use, offering outstanding versatility for future updates to your site.
2. Website design – how does your website look?
What’s the number one factor visitors use to judge your business’ credibility? You guessed it, website design (and if you didn’t, don’t worry – that’s what we’re here for)! Great design is relatable to your target audience and instantly conveys your key message.
There are many website builders on the market that make design simple, and put you in the driver’s seat when creating the look of your brand. We like to think design is the special sauce that makes your brand unique and memorable. It’s the difference between a Big Mac and a Quarter Pounder.
If you feel overwhelmed with creating your website, we can help you instantly connect with your customers, and keep them engaged! Our expertise and design approach also sees your new website looking great, no matter the device your customer uses. This brings us to the next of the important website features.
3. Mobile-friendly – does your website work on mobile?
According to Google, 61 per cent of users are unlikely to return to a site on mobile if they had trouble accessing it, and 40 per cent visit a competitor’s site instead! Bye, bye Spence.
Mobile tops the list of devices people are likely to use to find the information and services/products like yours (demographic dependant of course). So it’s vital your website is set up for a touch screen, single column and scrolling experience. A responsive website will allow your audience to jump between their desktop at work, phone on the bus and tablet while watching TV at night and enjoy the same quality user experience, which will do wonders for your lead and conversion rates.
Want someone else to ensure you've completed these important website features?
We hit the mark on user experience, interactive design and powerful content, to create a responsive, custom-built site that best reflects your business. All of our websites hit the mark on these important website features.
4. Easy roadmap – is your website simple to navigate?
Ever clicked on a pair of shoes on Instagram, hoping to be taken directly to purchasing those shoes? Only to be let down when you hit a page of sale products, with those shoes nowhere to be seen? Or found a resource that promises to answer a question you have on Google, only to be taken to a completely irrelevant page?
Frustrating, right?
If your website isn’t putting the desired needs of your client right in front of them, then expect to see high bounce rates.
This is where user experience is key, and a successful sitemap or menu structure will do wonders for your conversions and leads. Give your visitors an easy path to follow to find what they need, and remember that a simple button call-to-action design will always be the best solution.
5. Quality content – does your website provide the answers?
So now you have a good looking website that’s mobile-friendly, but does the content on your site go the extra mile? Quality content is one of our important website features, as it’s the reason visitors are seeking out your site in the first place. When we say content, we mean answering their question, providing additional resources that could help the painpoint they have, offering case studies that show how you’ve addressed situations like their’s.
Basically buttering their toast and giving them breakfast in bed – no hardwork needed on their end!
Your content should address your customer’s pain points in a clear way that may seem natural, but is actually extremely structured from a client nurturing perspective. You have an idea of what page you want a specific client to land on, where you want them to go from there, and have a CTA that ensures you are capturing their data for your sales.
Content is king – there’s no denying it!
When our experienced copywriters craft content for a website, it’s a piece of a bigger puzzle. All pieces are designed to fit together and provide a finished product that your customers are happy with. Your content should engage, be concise, offer value and information, and provide a tasty meal to Google’s SEO algorithm.
6. Secure surfing – Is your website safe to view?
A website that is painfully slow to load, and doesn’t promise security transparency, will not perform well. This comes down to hosting, and if your website’s core isn’t safe for viewing, you’ll be seeing some very low conversion rates and some questionable warnings on your user’s end.
It’s 2021 – visitors are privy with the concept of providing details like their email and name in return for a resource that could help better their lives. This could be a 10 per cent discount next time they shop, or a topic-centric e-book sent to their email. However, serving up a website that looks as dodgy as some of the pawnbroker stores that pop up randomly in high traffic business precincts will lead your audience to be less inclined to put forward their details.
So it’s important that you take action to ensure the security of your site and make safety clear from the moment a visitor first enters your virtual doors. Actions to consider include:
- Hosting security
- SSL Certificate to ensure the padlock is shown on the search bar of Google
- Cookie warnings and privacy policies
- Recaptcha on all forms
- Certified payment gateways
Holly Martin
As Chief Marketer and Founder, my strengths lie in my ability to see the entire playing field for our many clients.
