You’ve a newly minted entrepreneur, but without a website. Why? If you thought that it doesn’t matter that much, you’ve got it all wrong. Your business’ website is its personal ID in the digital world of Internet. A website is an opportunity for your startup to promote its offerings and values to potential and current customers, but also to distinguish itself from its competitors as well. A user-friendly interface and an attractive homepage with attention-grabbing visuals is a tried and tested way to boost engagement. With time being the usual culprit for failure, crucial website components can be overlooked if you’re in a rush, and that might cost you.
What makes a website great? We will provide answers about which elements are essential for any startup to put front and center of their website – from general principles to specific design elements.
#1. Validation and Credibility
A startup has about 5 seconds to show a visitor that they are a credible company that can be trusted. There are several ways to do this, usually through a listing of all the press that your company has garnered. It’s known as the “As Seen In” bar on the homepage. It’s a clear signal to the visitors that other people trust your company, even though it may seem vain.
A startup has about 5 seconds to show a visitor that they are a credible company that can be trusted.
#2. Usability
Making a website’s homepage attractive is certainly important, but a startup will too often focus the majority of their efforts on that. However, how a visitor will interact with your homepage takes precedence to beauty. Ask yourself, “When coming to my website, what do I want my prospect to do?” Your every decision should be driven by the answer to this question.
#3. An About Us/Explainer Video
Your value proposition should be clearly and quickly communicated when starting a company. An absolute best way to do this is through a homepage explainer video, because most of your website visitors will see it before reading other content. An explainer video shows that you put more effort in presenting yourself to the world, it takes less time to view it than to read it (if it were in text form), and video is much more engaging than other types of content online.
#4. User-Friendly Navigation
Startups often forget about usability because they’re often focused on creativity. This is concerned with making your navigation bars easy to find and with clearly-labeled titles. You should put information that is easily recognizable, so to make it easier for the users to find it. For example, a “Hit Us Up” label may sound cooler and catchier than “Contact Us”, but it may get your visitors lost on your website.
#5. A Creative 404 Error Page
It’s technology. It breaks, so a 404 page gets served here and there. But why not take advantage of this moment and use it to clearly communicate your brand while extending a great user experience? Don’t let subtle touch points lack some creative ideas, because every touch point is an opportunity to tell your story.
#6. Page Load Time
Your website’s conversion rate can be significantly increased by keeping your homepage clean and simple. Not all of your website visitors will be on high-speed broadband, because more people use their smartphones to browse, and Internet speeds may vary. According to a web design company in Sydney, a website should be “responsive, meaning that it scales to size on any device including smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers.”
#7. A Strong Call to Action
Having a strong call-to-action on your homepage is critical, because it is the one thing you want your visitors to do when they hit your homepage. It is the reason why you have a website – getting customers, prospects, and leads. There should be no ambiguity about what your site visitors should do – call a number, sign up for a free trial, give their email, and other.
#8. Clear Concise copy
The most important part of converting potential customers is a good copy. The best websites have their copies written in a clear and concise way on topics that are relevant to your visitors. To be able to write a copy that instantly informs them of your company’s value, you need to know who your visitors are and where they’re coming from.
#9. Case Studies
Case studies are important, especially for more serious users who wish to know how you helped other customers with similar problems and needs in order to get a clearer and tangible perspective of how your business operates. They help customers learn more about your business, goals, and whether you’re effective in providing your products/services.
#10. Links to Social Pages
Many startup websites are still failing to provide direct links to their social media profiles and pages in a visible spot on their website’s homepage. Instead of putting these links under the “Contact Us” page, put them right in front your visitors; this will eliminate the unnecessary steps.
A good startup requires a good website. These are the essentials for running one – good presentation, informative videos, clear content, and a user-friendly interface. Your company’s young, so increasing your conversion rate is essential for your business to blossom.
About Author: Emma Miller is a Sydney based writer with a degree in marketing. Interested in digital marketing, social media, start-ups and latest trends. She’s a contributor at BizzMark Blog.
Really meaningful tips! Hope this helps many start up enthusiasts .