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5 Features Every Website Must Have

As your online headquarters, your website often serves one function–to turn first-time visitors into actual customers.

To serve this function, it needs several features that help convince users to purchase something, sign up for a newsletter, etc.

You might think these “necessary” features may differ depending on your niche and target audience. However, we believe that five website features can help improve your conversion rate no matter your industry.

Search Engine Optimisation

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the practice of using strategies to improve your website’s rankings in search engine results pages.

Some people may think SEO is all about selecting keywords and including them in your content, but it’s so much more than that. It could include writing optimised content, link building, speeding up your website, and more. All these different strategies need to work hand-in-hand to get the best possible results.

According to BrightEdge, 68% of all online experiences start with an online search. Whether people want to learn or purchase something, they first turn to a search engine, most likely Google.

It should follow then that your business needs to appear among the top results whenever potential customers search for your service or product.

Done right, SEO won’t just lead to more organic traffic to your website. It can bring you your target audience since you’ll know beforehand which keywords they’ll use to find you.

Organised Website Structure

A website structure signifies which pages are important and how they’re all connected. For example, your website could have “main” pages like the homepage, about page, and services. You could then have “sub-pages” under these main pages.

Having an organised website structure could benefit you in two major ways.

First of all, search engines can easily understand which pages are important and should be indexed. Google finds web pages to index using “crawlers”. These crawlers find new web pages by following links from one page to another within one website.

Next, you’re making it easier for users to find the information they’re looking for. This is especially important if you run an eCommerce website. You’ll need to create categories and sub-categories for your products, ensuring that users can easily find the product they want.

Optimised Website Speed

Having a fast website is important for improving your conversion rate and search engine rankings.

Back in mid-2018, Google rolled out its Speed Update. The update made page speed or how fast your website loads a major ranking factor in mobile search engine results. This means that the faster your website, the better your chances of improving your rankings.

Let’s say that Website A and Website B belong to the same niche, and they recently published similar blog posts. Both posts contain valuable information and are quite lengthy. The main difference is, Website B loads faster than Website A.

Due to the Speed Update, Website B would have better chances of ranking higher in mobile search engine results pages.

Optimising your website speed could also have a positive impact on your conversion rate. According to a recent survey, 40% of users will leave a website if it takes more than three seconds to load. Instead of possibly doing business with you, they may instead go to a competitor’s website.

In a nutshell, improving your website speed could benefit you in two ways. It could improve your search engine rankings, driving more organic traffic to your website. It could also boost your conversion rate by showing users the information they need as quickly as possible.

Responsive Web Design

According to a recent survey, mobile users represent more than half of all web traffic across the globe. The number is expected to rise in the coming years as more people get mobile phones and Internet access. This is why a responsive website design is more important than ever.

With this design, your website can adapt to the device used to view whether it’s a mobile phone or desktop computer. Users won’t have difficulty navigating your website and can easily find what they’re looking for.

Google also takes into account the length of time users spend on your website. The longer users stay on your website, the more valuable Google thinks your content is.

If you don’t have a responsive website design, users will find it hard to access your content and most likely leave your website. This could have a negative impact on both your search engine rankings and conversion rate.

A Brand Statement

So far, we’ve talked about more technical things like SEO and website speed. As a result, telling you that your website needs a brand statement may seem strange.

However, we consider having a brand statement an important must-have, not just for your website but for your business in general.

A brand statement summarises what you do, who you do it for, and how you do it memorably.

For example, if you go to Tony Robbins’s website, you’ll find text that says he can help you master every area of your life. He’ll help you find solutions that fit your time, your lifestyle and your budget.

If you’re unsure what your brand statement should be, we highly recommend answering the following questions.

• Who is your ideal customer?
• What are your ideal customer’s pain points?
• How does your product or service address these pain points?
• What sets you apart from your competitors?

After you answer these questions, you’ll have at the very least a vague idea of what your brand statement could be. Continue refining it until it sums up what you do in a way that sounds memorable.

Once that’s done, place your brand statement in a prominent spot on your website. Make sure that users see it as soon as your website loads.

Conclusion

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution that can bring you success in the digital space. However, certain website features are necessary for success. They can improve your search engine rankings and conversion rate.

Need help adding these features to your website? Cornerstone Digital is an SEO agency in Sydney that can lead your ideal customer to your website. Call us on (02) 8211 0668 or email us at info@cornerstone-digital.com.au.

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Darlyn Herradura

A self-professed book and digital marketing nerd, Darlyn Herradura focuses on building trust between customers and businesses with the written word. She understands that creating valuable content is the best way to get found online and happily spends her time doing that.