Did you know that one out of four small businesses don’t have a website set up? It’s an interesting choice considering all the benefits they can bring.
Having one makes your business look more professional. It shows that you’re proud of your company and are willing to invest money into it. It will also allow you to introduce yourself to potential customers.
That is if you provide the links necessary for good website navigation. No site should be without a homepage, about page, and contact us page.
Want to learn more about what these pages can do for you and how to set them up? Check out this quick web design guide.
In this article
1. Homepage
Your homepage acts as an introduction between you and your potential customers. If it doesn’t make a good first impression, they’ll most likely click the back button.
While your homepage should be eye-catching, you shouldn’t use too many distracting graphics. High-quality images are a must, and the color scheme needs to mesh.
Keep It Simple
The secret to good web page navigation is to keep things simple. Big, boisterous headings are distracting and unnecessary.
Avoid cluttering your homepage with too many graphics and information. It will slow the page down, and potential customers won’t know where to focus their eyes.
Having too much clip art and walls of text taking up your homepage also comes across as unprofessional.
Include High-Quality Images
While you shouldn’t unload an entire scrapbook worth of photos on your homepage, there’s nothing wrong with having two or three pictures to show off your business.
Keep in mind that there’s nothing more unprofessional than pixled images. Upload high-resolution pictures only.
Choose the Right Color Scheme
Your color scheme is something that’s going to be consistent across every one of your web pages. That being said, you want to pursue the ideal decision.
Don’t pick a color that’s going to take attention away from your graphics. The colors also need to mesh. If the colors don’t play off each other well, it will make your homepage look sloppy.
Don’t go overboard with color. You don’t need to use every shade under the sun. Two or three will suit your needs fine.
2. About Page
Your About page is where you get to show off your brand. Let your customers in on your story and tell them how you tick.
Talk about what you do as a company and your morals. List off what sets you apart from your competitors and don’t forget to include your mission statement.
Include Your Selling Point
No matter what type of industry you’re working in, one thing is true. You most likely have a long list of competitors.
That’s why you have to put a lot of emphasis on your selling point on your About page. If you don’t know why your customers should choose you over your competitors, they won’t either.
Let’s say that you’re a clothing brand that uses all renewable materials. Lean into that.
Discuss the various types of fabric you use and how that impacts the environment. Why are you better than clothing brands that aren’t as green?
Tell Your Story
Every brand has a unique story. Your About page provides the perfect blank slate for you to talk about yours.
Give your customers insight into how it all began. List off your impressive achievements.
You can add a timeline that displays all the important moments in your company’s history, like the day you sold your first product.
Humanize Yourself
The human eye is automatically drawn to faces. By including pictures of people on your site, you will have some control over where users look.
People also like doing business with other people. By showing who you are, you put a name to a face and humanize your company.
3. Contact Us Page
Your Contact Us page is one of the most crucial aspects of your site because it tells customers how they can get in touch with you. If they can’t ask you about your goods and services, they’ll turn to a company that is willing to answer their burning questions.
The three most important elements of a Contact Us page are the contact form, basic business info, and a physical address.
Contact Form
Contact forms allow companies to collect a customer’s information so that they may reach back out and answer their questions. The general rule of thumb is to keep your contact form as simple as possible.
In most cases, the only information you need is a customer’s name, email, and message. Be sure that a customer is redirected to a Thank You page after filling out a form to let them know their message was received.
Include Basic Info
Not every customer wants to fill out a contact form and wait days to receive a response. They would rather call and get an answer to their question right then.
That’s why you should add basic info to your contact page, such as your phone number and email address.
Provide a Physical Address
If a customer can’t find your physical address, it will set off red flags in their head. Any professional web design consultant will tell you it makes your business look sketchy.
Some customers would rather pay their bills by sending off a check instead of paying with their bank card. They can’t do that if they don’t know your address.
Improve Your Website Navigation
Website navigation is the most important part of any business website. If your home page is so cluttered that customers can’t find what they need, they’ll leave.
Having an About page will allow you to introduce yourself to potential customers, and every business site needs a Contact page.
For more web design tips and tricks, visit the Tech section of our blog.
