Website Checklist: Top 10 Things Your Website Should Have

You should always keep your website updated if you want to appeal to your audience and ensure your business looks credible. Website design is crucial in getting people to trust your business and stay on your site to learn more, as 94% of first impressions pertain to web design. When updating your website, there are many items to consider, from good visual design elements to consistently high-quality content. 

The following is a checklist detailing winning elements to help you keep your website in shape and attract prospects, leads, and customers.

1. Important Business Information

Your website should have updated and in-depth details about your business, including contact info. One of the most crucial web design elements for 51% of website visitors is thorough contact information. If people don't know how to connect with you or your current details are outdated, this could break a sale before it has the chance to start. If your address, phone number, or even your business name changes, make sure your website reflects that. It can be more challenging if your business has multiple locations, but taking the time to ensure all information is up-to-date can make a big difference.

2. Mobile-Friendly

A growing number of people are browsing business websites using mobile devices, making mobile responsiveness a necessity. One of the key reasons for this is because mobile is more accessible than desktop viewing. As a result, around 68% of businesses with mobile-responsive web design see an increase in sales.

To prepare your website for mobile devices, make sure all photos, video, and content translate well from desktop to mobile devices. Otherwise, your audience may turn to your competitors if they can't find what they need to with ease. 

3. Internal Links

If you want your website to benefit from good search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM), you need an effective interlinking strategy. Web pages that are authoritative on search engines can help boost others' performance if you link to relevant new or lower-ranking pages within them. In addition to improving SEO by linking to your content, you can also guide visitors to other content that can educate them and carry them along the buyer's journey. If any links are broken and connect to nonexistent pages, redirect those links to relevant existing pages.

4. Cohesive Branding

People also want to see consistent branding for several reasons. Any disjointed visual or written content could make your branding appear less cohesive and remove credibility and recognition. People who visit your website should be able to develop a full and accurate picture of your brand through your website. To help create that image, maintain consistent design elements, including colors, themes, and logos, and use consistent messaging and language with every piece of content. Also, make sure your website's branding is aligned with that of your offsite content, including online and offline ads.

5. Easy-to-Navigate Menu

People need to be able to find everything they need on your website. The key to this is to have a menu that isn't confusing or elusive in its design. Ensure a clear hierarchy of pages in the main navigation that indicates where your pages are, such as your homepage, product or service pages, and your contact page.

6. Quality Content

Quality content, both visual and written, is integral to a website's success. Keep in mind that users spend an average of 5.59 seconds reading written content on a website, which isn't much time to grab them. Make sure your images are appealing and accurately represent your brand, but pay equal attention to written content to keep people on the page. You should also provide all the content necessary for people to understand your business and what it's about, including an about page, detailed product and service pages, a resource center, and a blog.

7. Social Media Icons

If your business uses social media marketing, make sure there are visible icons for each of your social media profiles. In your website's footer, you can include social media icons that link to each profile, making it easy for people to follow and engage with you on these platforms.

8. Quick Load Times

Page load speed is also important, as 52% of consumers base business loyalty on page loading speed. Google recommends a page load speed of no slower than two seconds. If your website is seeing high bounce rates, it could be due to slow loading times. You'll want to make sure your site is loading quickly on every device, including desktop, mobile devices, and tablets. To help increase page speed, you can try compressing images or reducing the number of elements on a page that might be slowing it down.

9. Clear Calls to Action

If you want your audience to perform a specific action, your CTAs should be clear and direct. Use effective messaging and highly visible CTA buttons or links that lead people down the sales funnel. There should be no confusion about what people will get when they act on those CTAs at any point.

10. Testimonials and Client Success Stories

Audiences are much more likely to trust your brand if you prominently feature testimonials and client success stories on your website. Seventy-two percent of consumers have stated that positive reviews and testimonials make them trust a company. You can feature blurbs from customer testimonials throughout your website, create a dedicated testimonials page, or develop a portfolio of case studies.

Keep Your Website Updated to Keep People Coming

If you want your websites to perform at their best, make sure all of the items in this website checklist are in place with an effective marketing plan. With a reliable website backing your business, you'll be able to attract prospects and build trust and familiarity among visitors. As you develop a robust online presence, you'll be able to boost sales and keep your customers coming back to you.