Top 5 Things Your Website Must Have!

Here at Seven Creative marketing agency in Sheffield, we firmly believe that a great website and an effective marketing strategy have the power to transform a business. So, to help you out, we’ve put together 5 simple but very important things you need to do to have a successful website!

Compatibility with mobile devices

A recent study has shown that 93% of people in the UK use their mobile device to access the internet every day. In fact, more people actually log on to the internet through a mobile device than through a computer!

We come across lots of websites belonging to small to medium sized businesses that are simply not compatible with mobile devices.

As people move away from their desktops, preferring to browse the internet on the go on tablets and smart phones, your website needs work on these devices, and work well. If not, you and your business are missing out on a huge audience.

An email address and contact number on your homepage

This is an absolute MUST! An email link and a contact number must be displayed clearly on the home page of your website – if people want to contact you, don’t make them work for it, make it as easy as possible!

Email is a quick and easy way of getting in touch, and without a visible email address, you risk missing out on inquiries and sales.

It is also incredibly important to have a phone number listed on your homepage. Some questions are better answered by phone, and some people prefer to speak to an actual person as opposed to emailing.

Obvious contact details also go some way in establishing the reputability of your company, and can make visitor feel more comfortable. A visitor to a site without a phone number, for example, may even question your legitimacy.

A built in inquiry form 

A form-fill option on your website is the perfect way to allow consumers to request information. Information inquiry forms should be built into your site, connected to a CRM, an email system, and an ecommerce system. That way, the lead is not just being collected, it’s also being prepared for the business owner to communicate with and generate business via that lead.

Social-media-management-sheffieldLinks to your social media accounts

On 13 June 2013, the Office of National Statistics reported that the UK has the second highest proportion of social networkers in the EU, and 57% of internet users said that they used “social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter“.

So, by not using social media channels to market your business, you’re missing out on a huge captive audience and a very powerful marketing tool. You also run the risk of falling behind your competitors.

Social media buttons should also be displayed clearly on the homepage of your website, so that visitors have the option of connecting with you on social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+.

Effective search engine optimisation

As you’ll know by now, having a website is absolutely essential. But what’s the point of having a website if no one can find it? Search engines are used every day to find websites, and naturally, those that rank higher in the searches get visited more often.

Effective search engine optimisation will increase your website’s ranking in Google, therefore driving more traffic to your site, and resulting in more leads.

As a web design and SEO company in Sheffield, we know how important it is to have all of these points in place. If you are worried that your website isn’t up to scratch, is struggling in the search engines, or you are missing any of the above, don’t panic – we can help.

Get in touch via our website, call us on 0114 383 0711, or send us an email to info@sevencreative.co.uk.