1) Avoid large blocks of text and distracting visuals
People who visit your website want information, quickly. If it takes them longer than a few seconds to figure out what your website is all about, they’ll likely move on to something else. Avoid unnecessary images that may distract your visitors. Keep your website content simple by using headers, sub-headers, and bullet points. Remember, “scrolling” is a natural for most web visitors, so there’s no need to condense text.
2) Ensure a fantastic viewing experience across multiple devices
With mobile users rapidly outpacing desktop users, your website will be accessed by hundreds of different devices with different screen sizes, proportions, and resolutions. If your site’s layout does not automatically adjust to the screen size of the viewer’s device, you risk alienating a portion of visitors – who might very well be potential clients.
3) Use a non-proprietary Content Management System (CMS) like WordPress
DAll modern websites are built on top of a system that allows non-web people to edit and add content. WordPress is the gold standard in this space. The software is free, and it is simple and intuitive to use. Alternative CMS platforms are overly complex and expensive to develop and maintain. Your CMS should provide you the business owner with complete control, including the ability to move to alternate hosting providers.
4) Don’t lose your visitors to Facebook or other social media sites
Getting “likes” and “follows” is a great way to build a customer base, but overloading your website with too many social media buttons and feeds can direct visitors away from your website. The main goal of your website is to promote your products or services – not your social media channels.
5) Include a call-to-action
A surefire way to get more customers is to add a call to action on your landing page that asks visitors for their name and email address in exchange for free information provided by your company. A call to action can help you establish a relationship with visitors and keep them interested in your company’s products or services. Even a simple “Call us today!” can work wonders.