Does Your Website Have What Visitors Need?

Every website is different to reflect the business it represents. But there are several key elements every modern website should have.

If you have the items in the list below covered, your website likely in good shape. If not, it’s time for an update!

1. A secure certificate (https) so that browsers don’t flag your site as unsafe.
2. A design that looks and works well on mobile devices. Most of your visits likely come from mobile devices!
3. Branding that is consistent, including a logo in the header. This logo should be clickable to take the user to the home page from any page at the site.
4. Navigation across the top of the page. Navigation choices should be clear and simple. Generally fewer than 7 options are best.
5. A call to action to contact you in the header, or somewhere very prominent. You need to be easy to reach!
6. Good quality content that explains who you are and what you offer. This content needs to use the keywords that relate to your brand.
7. A clear listing of your service area, especially if you serve a specific community or area.
8. At least one SEO-optimized page of 350 words or more that will help searchers (and search engines) find you.
9. A blog or other means of adding fresh content to the site regularly.
10. Navigation and other key information in the footer. Once a user scrolls down, they should not have to scroll back up to navigate the site or determine how to contact you.
11. Links to all of your other important places online, such as social media sites and key directory listings. Your website should be the hub of your online presence.
12. Images and/or video that illustrate your brand. Visual content helps visitors to get to know who you are.

Give your website a fresh look with these 12 items in mind. You may find that some incremental improvement is needed. Or, it may be time to take a whole new approach to your online home. With more than more people looking online for just about every aspect of business and professional life, your website is more important than ever.