One of the most common questions we are asked is “what pages do I need for my website ?”. Putting the right information on your site can make a big difference on how you are listed in the search engines and can affect sales. The following is a short list of commonly used page subjects used on the web.
Home Page
This the first page prospective customers see and should provide information about your company and services. It should also give your visitors an overview of what your business is about. 300 – 600 words about who you are, what you do and where you are at.
Products / Services
It is good to have a separate page for each product or service you offer. Be detailed, provide whatever information you can. People don’t want to wait to get the answer they are looking for. Remember the more keyword rich content you have on the site the more the search engines will find your site relevant to your subject matter.
Contact Us
Make it easy for customers to contact you. Create a Contact page with your business name, location, telephone, fax, email, and a map. Also some site owners include contact info at the bottom of each page to be sure no one misses it.
Pricing
Include the prices of your products / services whenever possible. You don’t have to be specific but it is helpful to put at least a ballpark cost of your products and services.
Testimonials
Include testimonials from your current customers to show your potential clients that you do good work or sell quality produts. Fake testimonials are not a god idea. If possible provide the name and business / industry of the person who wrote the testimonial. Check with the person before posting such information to be sure it is ok to list them. Ask every happy customer testimonial, most will be happy to give you one.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ’s can be a great source of information about your business and can make a difference in making a sale or not. Many times when shopping online surfers cannot find enough information to make a decision and they move on the the next site. An FAQ’s page also can help you in your search engine rankings by adding keyword rich information .
Email list / Newsletter
The best thing to do if you want to build an opt-in email list is to add a email sign up form to every page. Most people don’t like giving out a lot of information so ask for as little as possible like name and email address. There are many services out there that will keep track of your list and allow you to send out mass emails for a reasonable rate. These services also allow you to view statistics on how many people actually read your newsletters.
Keep in touch with your customers on a regular basis by sending out information that may be of interest to them in email blasts.Send out emails on a regular schedule but be sure not to over do it by sending emails so often it becomes annoying. You may wish to maintain an email archive on your website from emails you have sent. This will give your information more chances to be read. The blog you are reading is a good example of that.
This is a great marketing tool, it helps you keep in touch with your customers and updates your website with new content on a regular basis.
Resources / Articles / Links
Add related information that may be interesting to your customers to your website. Provide information that is related to your business. For example, if you sell bridal accessories include information about wedding caterers, planners, wedding cakes, flowers and reception halls. By adding extra information you invite more search engine traffic to your site.
Events Calendar
List events your company is sponsoring or events related to your business that you will attend that might be interesting to your customers. Be sure to update your calendar frequently and give good descriptions of what the event is about. This will also help you by adding new content to your site regularly.
Return/Refund Policy
If you have an e-commerce website this is a must.Your customers will feel more confidant when buying something if you offer a clear return or refund policy. Be sure it is easy to understand and give detailed information. In the long run it will make life easier for you.
Privacy Policy
Privacy is a major issue online. How their information is going to be used is a important concern. Create a privacy policy that will reassure your customers that their information is safe. Be sure to follow your policy to the letter and you can build important relationships based on trust.
Site Map
A site map makes it easy for surfers to find information on your site at a glance. It can also help with search engine rankings.
Media
Include any information about your business like articles, photos and employees that have appeared in the media . If you do not have any media about your business yet think about writing a press release to get the ball rolling. Press releases can be about things like a staff member getting a promotion or a new line of products Another way to get press include creating a video and posting it on youtube. The video does not need be Hollywood quality, just make it interesting and give your contact info at the end of the video.
On line store / E-Commerce
An on line store allows you sell products directly on the internet 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Be sure your shopping cart software is easy for customers to use and is secure. Make sure you accept credit cards, PayPal and other payment options such as Google Checkout to make it easy for your customers to pay. Regularly test your store so you see 1st hand your customer’s shopping experience. Also shop the competition, what are they doing to maximize their customers experience and increase sales?
Photo Gallery
A picture is worth a thousand words. Show examples of your product or services. Before and after images can also be a great tool.
This list is only partial and is meant to give you some ideas of what common pages are used on websites. There are many other subjects you may want to cover. Every business is different so take the time to plan your content and get the greatest benifit from your website.
