Key Website Elements

What are the basic elements you need to include in your website?

There is no real road map for a good website. Since each website represents different businesses or personalities and since this is really a competition of who can do better, the sky is the limit with ideas and methods.

But from a business point of view there are several key element that are often ignored in website design.

The most primary element is "Ease of Use". How easy is it for your visitor to navigate? Can the average person understand your pages?

One of the biggest issues I see is that e-commerce based websites do not clearly define where to buy the products. Often labeling the store with strange words or hiding one button with the word "products" in a navigation menu with 30 other buttons.

It is great to have loads of content on your website but not when it hides the true intent of the website which is to sell. Many times I have to e-mail site owners to ask them where their shopping cart is. If I have to ask then what about the average user? Most likely, many never even saw it.

If you sell a product or service, it should be the key element on every page.

About YOU

It is critical that you outline details about your company. People don't want to but from a website that has no indication of how or where the business operates from.With more than half of the websites online being run by scammers the level of trust is low. If you don't have some information about who you are and where your business is, people will move to another vendor.

I get endless complaints from website owners that they have no sales. Then I look at their website and there is no contact information, no information about their business and no way to infer that they are anymore than a credit card scam.

Your website is a dynamic sales person working for you. Imagine what you want that sales person to do.

Most likely you want to make the customer feel welcome, wanted and secure when they shop with you. Does your website accomplish that? Would you buy from the website?

You should include a page about the history of your company and how long you have been in business. Testimonials are great if they are sincere and have value to readers. Anything that shows your success and longevity in the business will help build confidence with your potential buyers.

A lack of such details will be a certain formula for no sales and lost opportunities.

Product Descriptions

I say this over and over and over and over again. You need to have long and descriptive product descriptions and details about products. I see photos with 2 or 3 words or less in may cases.

How can you expect anyone to buy a product when you offer no information about that product?

People want to compare, shop for value and find the best deal. If yo have nothing more than a photo of the product then selling that product is only going to happen by lucky chance.

People expect more from websites. Many people read all of our articles and help pages before they decide to use our service, then they proceed to build a 3 page website with 10 pictures of their 10 items for sale.

I don't understand when someone is so cautious about buying why they think other people will blindly just buy their inventory based on one blurry photo.

Wake up people! You need to make an effort to make it look like you make an effort with your business. A website that looks like it took 1 hour to build will make your business look like you are not focused on quality or customer satisfaction. Build cheesy pages and people will expect cheesy products.

You don't have to have web 2.0 glitz and glamor but you need to make it look like you made an effort to present your product.

If you sell a product at a trade show you would not plop the item on a table and stand in front of it waiting for customers. No, you make brochures, build a backdrop and signage. You do everything you can to make your booth stand out and be competitive.

Do the same for your website and you will find success. Take the shortcuts and your business will find no value in having a website at all.