1. Simple and easy to use navigation

There’s no point in having a website if no one can find the information they came to your website for. A simple and straightforward navigation system is always better than a complicated one. Make sure you aren’t confusing users with multiple pages, vague page names or complicated navigation structures with sub-menu after sub-menu.

Tip: Also having a search facility will help people find what they’re after if your navigation is proving too complicated.

2. Clear contact information

This is a common problem on many business websites. Hiding all of your contact info on the contact page is a sure-fire way to make sure lazy customers never contact you. Instead make your primary source of contact is at the top of every page, that way people have no excuse not to get in touch.

3. Prominent call to actions

A call to action is something you want your users to do on your website, like downloading a brochure or completing an enquiry form – ultimately it should be an action that helps a user take one step closer to becoming a customer. Make sure your site is making it clear and easy for users to complete your call to action. Use large call to action buttons to literally tell people what you want them to do on your website.

4. Fresh, easy to read content

Boring, old and lengthy content is a great way to lose visitors. People online have a short attention span and are usually after information fast! Don’t hold them back by using large blocks of text. Instead you should be separating the content into shorter paragraphs, using headings, formatting and images to help break up your content and make it easier for users to “scan” the page for what they’re looking for. 

Tip: you can use this free website to check the reading level of your web pages https://read-able.com/ – aim for a reading level of between 6-8.

5. A blog

A study by HubSpot showed that websites with a blog had an average of 55% more visitors than those without. Even the most corporate businesses should have a blog on their website. It’s a great source for content marketing and letting people know more about your business, services or products. It’s also a big plus in the eyes of the search engines. 

Tip: Make sure your blogs are on topic though – don’t get dragged into talking about politics if you sell push-chairs. 

6. Mobile-friendly design

With Google implementing their new mobile-friendly algorithm on the 23rd April it’s more important than ever to make sure your website is optimised for smaller devices like tablets and mobiles. More people in the UK browse the web on smartphones than traditional computers (desktops & laptops). Make sure your website is catering to your users devices otherwise they’ll find a competitor that does.

7. Customer testimonials

Social proof is a powerful way to instil trust and authority with new customers. If they’ve never met you or your business before then showing them other customers positive comments about your company is a great way to give them a good idea of how they’ll be treated and make them feel more confident about their choice in contacting you. 

Tip: make sure you use real and approved testimonials that can be backed up if a new prospect checks with the previous client. Getting caught out will 100% make sure you lose that new customer forever.

8. A cookie policy

This is a small one but important. All websites owned in the EU or targeted towards EU citizens, are now expected to comply with this law. The chances are that your website needs to comply with this law and it’s a very easy to make sure your website complies. Most website development companies have a solution in place that’s quick to implement. 

Tip: for more information visit www.cookielaw.org/the-cookie-law/