If it has been a while since you last updated your website, then it is time to give it a close look. Your business website is your 21st Century store. Like a traditional store, your website seeks to attract, retain, and convert visitors into loyal buyers. The problem is that people need a reason to come to your website. Just think about your last shopping experience at the mall.

We will bet that you decided to enter a store because it looked appealing and met your personal needs. Even if you were simply window shopping, you must admit that certain stores seem to “catch the eye” more than the rest.

Your business website works similarly. The only difference is that people browse your website through a virtual mall space called the Internet. Instead of walking with their feet, people are scrolling and clicking with their fingers. What can you do to make your business website stand out? Check off these six essentials to create a winning website:

Woman drawing local business website cartoon.

Create an Organized Business Website

While your website may not have shelves or aisle labels, it does have a set of menus and sub-menus to steer buyers in the right direction.

Because a website’s menu has limited character space, your labels should be clear, concise, and easy to understand. In other words, most websites have required menu labels like Home, Service, and Contact. Moreover, a website’s menu is vital for SEO and marketing.

When working on your website marketing, make sure that you sketch out an outline beforehand. For example, when you create a drop-down list below the main menu, you want to give your visitor a shorter list of sub-menus. Instead of having ten different services listed under the menu label “Service,” you can get more organized by breaking down your services into two sets of five. Categorize the services so your visitors can find the answer quickly and easily.

down your services into two sets of five. Categorize the services so that your visitors can find the answer quickly and easily.

Identify Your Buyer’s Persona

Every market has its target client. The types of customers you seek to attract are called your “Ideal Customers” or “Buyer’s Persona.”

According to HubSpot, “A buyer persona is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer based on market research and real data about your existing customers.

Because your website is a marketing platform, you must ensure your web content is attractive and convincing. Work on developing a unique brand voice by finding out what people in your market need. Ultimately, a perfectly designed business website is one where the text, image, color, and layout seamlessly complement and enhance your overarching marketing plan.

Upgrade to Mobile-Responsive Business Website

Why? Because it is just so much easier to do a quick Internet search with your smartphone than turning on a laptop.

In a study, Think With Google finds that 75% of users prefer a mobile-friendly website. Because they experience feelings of “annoyance” and “frustration.” Meanwhile, 74% of the surveyors also claim they are more likely to revisit a mobile-friendly website.

Mobile-friendly or responsive web design has become the norm, not the exception. For website owners like you, this means designing your website around smartphones rather than laptops.

Have a Clear, Easy-to-Find Contact Form

A contact form is an online form allowing visitors to communicate with you. At the same time, a contact form is a must-have for every website owner, your contact form’s design and placement also matter. As a rule of thumb, a contact form should be accessible to your visitor on every page.

Finally, although inserting a simple, standard contact form on your website may be tempting, improving its aesthetics will make it more appealing. Experiment with different shades and hues to transform your contact form into an aesthetic and functional element on your website.

Include Customer References & Testimonials

Having customers endorse your product and service will enhance your business credibility. Customer testimonials are a powerful marketing strategy because it personalizes your business.

A customer review or testimony shouts: I have done business with this company. And it is AWESOME!

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a well-written customer testimonial is worth a thousand dollars. Hard to imagine? Think about getting a review from a community leader. Then think about how that review can influence a potential customer.

Craft an Obvious Call-to-Action

A Call-to-Action is something that seeks to evoke an action from your readers. Like your contact form, it should be accessible, noticeable, and appealing. Your words in your call-to-action can also make a huge difference in lead conversion and user engagement. And there are many ways to experiment with your wording.

Design a Winning Business Website

As you can see, designing a winning website is not “impossible” but certainly requires lots of time and effort. ProEngage internet marketing company can cover your back by helping you develop a responsive, beautiful, and optimized website.