When creating a website, or better yet investing in professional web design, you should ensure that the following web pages are included. These pages are not only basic website necessities, but they are also crucial for business and search engine optimisation. Search engine marketing should be at the forefront of your plans for your web design. Your website is the key part of your online presence, and so you can’t cut any corners. Instead, if you implement these key web pages, then you are off to a great start for your web design.
Landing Page
This is the page that the visitor sees first when finding your website. Also known as the home page, the landing page can be a variety of things but it is in your best interest to ensure it features some key elements. If you lose their interest from the first page, it’s safe to assume that you will also lose their business.
Right from the start, it should be obvious what your business is and why you are relevant to this potential customer/client. Therefore, your company logo and tagline should be featured here. Your site needs to be navigable and show how a person can get into contact with you. Whether this is a phone number or social media links or a form to fill out, you need a call-to-action on the first page to encourage their engagement.
There should be some information about the business on the landing page, so that people know who you are – it’s your introduction to customers. They should know what makes you special; what your unique selling point might be. And it will also be an opportunity for added SEO.
Information Page(s)
These are the most important pages on the site, as they will have all the information about your services. Your kind of business will determine what your information pages should consist of. You will need a navigation bar or menu for these pages so that people can navigate your site effectively.
The information pages should describe what you do, how and why. If you sell goods (products), then you will need to set them out on your site, or at least describe what you sell in detail. If you offer services, then you need to really communicate that service to your audience using your website, in order to inspire a query. There should be a lot of appropriate audience-focused content, which is rich in SEO. The products on your site need to be well described and use the appropriate search terms. Featuring a variety of content – written, images, videos – on your site will work in your favour, as your website will be more user friendly and interesting, not to mention easier to digest.
About Us
The ‘about us’ page is for speaking about yourself and your business. This is another great opportunity for SEO, because you can use keywords in your content here. It is good to use images, perhaps of your team, so that there is a personal touch to your website that can make your target audience feel more comfortable with you. You can place testimonials here, too, and generally convince potential customers that you are someone they can put their trust in.
Contact Us
If a customer can’t contact you with any questions or queries they may have, then they may lose interest. Some people prefer going straight to the source and getting their information that way. A ‘contact us’ page should feature a form, or various contact details and links to social media (where possible). Don’t overload this page with information, keep it simple and definitely use call-to-actions and SEO where possible.
Blog
Not everyone thinks to include a blogging section on their site, but it can really do wonders for your business – it is a way to show your professional knowledge about your industry. Plus, blogging is a great way to reel in customers without seeming like you’re selling anything. When your blog posts are riddled with keywords, too, you are able to draw the right audience to your site. Once they are on the site, and enjoy your blogging content, they are likely to then browse the rest of your site. This is why we feel that a blogging page on your website is crucial.
With these things in mind, you will have the foundations of a great website. It is always better to hire a professional to do your web design, as they will ensure that these pages and more are done accurately, optimising your website as much as possible – in a genuine way. If you need anymore advice, don’t hesitate to get in contact with our team.