By Ray Mitchell
In the wake of COVID-19 economy, businesses that previously got along without having an online presence, or one that was limited to a Facebook or Instagram page, began looking for ways to get online and get online quickly. A website of your own gives your business control of your message and provides new opportunities to reach more customers.
Parts of a Business
website
Websites come in many shapes and sizes, with designs that range from mild to wild. Business websites though usually share the same four parts: the home page, a products or services page, an about page, and a contact page.
Depending on the website, each of the parts can have its own page, or a single page may contain all these parts.
The Home Page
Most people visiting your website will land on your Home page. It’s the website address (or URL) that you share on your business card or advertising, or the one that they click when they find your website on search engines like Google.
The purpose of the Home page is to welcome visitors and do it quickly. Your Home page should provide information about your business, share the ways that you can help other people or businesses, and give an overview of the services you provide or products you sell.
When you visit a new website for the first time, you make a quick decision on whether you will stay and look around awhile, or immediately leave and search for something else. Your site visitors are just like you. Be sure to make it easy to find what they need, or they will leave quickly and maybe never come back.
Of all the pages on your website, your Home page is the most important. It must almost instantly answer the following questions:
• Is this the right place for me?
• Do they have the things I need, or can they do what I want?
• Does this look like a reputable business?
If your home page fails to answer these questions in the way your site visitor expects, they will leave and look for another one that will.
The Products or Services Page
Your Products or Services page is where you begin to provide more specific information about your offerings. Use a few sentences to introduce of your services or products, then follow up with details about your key services or products below.
Depending on how many Products or Services you offer, you may simply want to list the names of the services or write a short paragraph for each one. Keep in mind that each of these product or services may deserve a page of its own that you can create later. You can create a link from this page to the individual page where visitors can learn more about a specific product or service.
It's also good idea to include any advantages or benefits of doing business with you, and don’t forget to include a Call to Action such as “call for a price” or “schedule a free consultation”.
The About Page
One of the most visited pages on a small business website is the About page. This is where visitors can a little more what your company does. On this page you can include a longer summary about your company, information about you or your team, and why you are different from all other companies that sell the same goods or services. However, the About page is not just about you or your company, it’s about how your company can help your shoppers meet their needs.
Remember, website visitors are trying to solve problems and they want to know that your company is a good fit. Can your company handle big jobs, or just small ones? Are you expensive or affordable?
These are the questions your site visitors are trying to answer. Be sure that the About page is written with your ideal customer in mind.
The Contact Page
Once your visitors see that you are a good fit, they need a way to get in touch. Your website’s Contact page should make it easy for them. At a minimum, your Contact page should have a way to reach you by email and phone number, but you can give visitors much more information. You can include links to your social media profiles, your mailing address, additional phone numbers and fax numbers. You may even want to consider including a map to your location. and your business hours.
Take the Next Step
Having a good business website is now more important than ever. Take some time to plan your website build using these four key pages, or to or review your current site if it has been awhile. By investing the time to make your website inviting to visitors and provide them with information that they are looking for, you're sure to gain the benefit of reaching more potential customers.
Ray Mitchell is a marketing consultant, volunteer business mentor and the founder of Made for You Media (madeforyoumedia.com). Made for You Media focuses on the unique marketing needs of small businesses and non-profit organizations. Ray is nationally known for his presentations on how small businesses can grow using WordPress.
