Many tutorials on the internet will show you how to build a website, but in this article, we’ll discuss how to make a business website that converts your visitors into leads. There are many factors to consider when it comes to conversion rate optimization, and one of the most important is understanding what people want from your site.
Nowadays, anyone can build a modern website with the help of theme builders. Still, very few people know how to create a business website that will act as a virtual salesperson to generate revenue for a company. So, if you are looking for more than just an online digital brochure as a website, keep reading to learn how to make a website that converts visitors into customers.
What is the difference between these 2 websites?
Most people will say that both websites are the same. But the truth is they are like day and night when it comes to performance and what they can do for your bottom line.
Although they both have a very similar design, only one of these sites will generate revenue for your business. We will touch on the key factors that make them so different below.
But first things first.
What are the basics of a good web design?
If you are a new entrepreneur or just getting started with your business, you’ve likely asked yourself what makes a great business web design. This may include different factors, such as pricing, functionality, and accessibility.
It would help if you first determined what your budget will be for the overall project. Then, look at your current website to see what type of design best fits your business. You can also look at some of the websites that others use to help you decide what is currently working for them.
The Layout
The layout of your pages should be user-friendly and easy to navigate. It should provide quick access to your products and services and keep visitors interested enough so that they continue to return. Remember that it’s also important that you make a site that looks professional.
Using the right color scheme, a navigational theme, and a logo can improve the overall appearance. Once you’ve figured out what elements are necessary, you can then start designing your site’s layout based on the basic principles of how to make a business website that converts visitors.
Accessibility
Another thing that goes into web design is accessibility. You want a site that is functional for everyone who might want to visit. For example, using tables and navigation bars will make it easier for people with vision impairments to use your site. Also, always allow users to see all the information they need without hiding it with graphics or buttons.
A good web design often utilizes white spaces in its presentation. People like clear, uncluttered, and blank spaces. They also like visually larger text and bolder font. But, again, you can utilize these things to benefit your company.
One of the least attractive aspects of a web design is a dull background or dark colors. Even a plain background can harm someone’s ability to focus on your content. If you need to grasp your business goals, you’ll want to utilize bright colors and a noticeable background. This helps the visitor to focus on the important things and eliminates distractions.
Ease Of Navigation
The last element on how to make a business website is the ease of navigation. The user should be able to quickly and easily find the elements of your site with minimal effort. A site with many buttons will cause visitors to lose their patience and leave your web page before they’ve had a chance to explore your offerings.
Make navigation easy by designing for faster browsing. For example, instead of using drop-down menus with many options, use a table of contents or a simple and straightforward menu system.
So let’s suppose that both of the websites above have all of these great web design features.
Why does one generate revenue and the other one does not?
Let’s dive in a bit deeper to find out.
So what makes a great BUSINESS web design?
Every day we meet small business owners who get suckered into believing that they can have a real business website built by someone with no SEO, sales, marketing, conversion, or speed optimization experience. Plus, these so-called “web designers” can do it for under $1000! Yeah right. This is one of the main reasons I decided to create this guide on making a business website that converts visitors.
Let’s get back to comparing both of our websites above.
As you can see below, exhibit A is NOT optimized for business. In comparison, exhibit B has everything that a business website needs to convert leads into customers/clients.
WEBSITE A
WEBSITE B
Website B has functions that are required for a business to perform and convert leads into customers.
Speed Optimization
Like SEO Optimization, speed performance is a combination of multiple factors. You cannot increase the speed by just adding a plugin and calling it good. Business websites can grow to have hundreds of pages, have lots of CSS and javascript to provide a great user experience, including…
These implementations are just some of the top ways to improve the overall speed.
SEO Optimization
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website to improve its search engine rankings. The higher your SEO, the more likely people are to click on your search result. Keywords can make the difference between getting traffic and paying for it.
SEO’s primary goal is to get your website in the top 10 search results for key search terms. Successful SEO requires an investment in both time and money, but you will build a web presence that will attract buyers and ultimately add to your profits with time and money. Besides quality content, there are many other technical factors to making it SEO-friendly.
Conversion Optimization
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) is the process of optimizing your content to increase the probability of the visitor taking desired actions towards a specific goal, such as filling out a contact form or calling your business. When it comes to how to make a business website that converts, we must consider these factors.
Sales Optimization
Every website requires testing and optimization to generate online revenue. There is no one size fits all approach. These sales tactics will vary based on your industry, company size, location, and ideal customer.
Web Navigation
The best navigation practices will ensure that users and search engines can find your information quickly and understand exactly what your business has to offer.
Informational Web Design
Think about all of the information that potential customers/clients might need to know about your products and services. Answer frequently asked questions. Distinguish yourself from your competition.
Providing the information that users require upfront will save you lots of time from repeatedly explaining it to every user. Plus, you will betray trust and confidence to people who are not familiar with your brand.
Premium Hosting
There are many reasons to choose a premium hosting provider vs. a cheaper, basic shared hosting provider. With premium hosting, your site will have faster load time and site speed, period. Plus, premium hosting offers better protection against getting hacked with security features and daily backups.
Content Delivery Network
Using a quality CDN provider, your website will be delivered faster to the end-user regardless of location. Plus, your website will be rendered faster, and your users will enjoy less video buffering. Plus, many other features are outlined below.
Website Security & Backups
Backing up your website daily is crucial for preventing data loss from a cyberattack or other causes such as file corruption. These types of problems can damage your business bottom line and can take days or weeks to get your online business up and running again.
WordPress Content Manager
A study showed that WordPress is used by 39.% of all websites built. Although WordPress began as a blogging platform. It is now used to build business websites, e-commerce stores, social networks, and intranets by millions of businesses, from large corporations including CNN, UPS to small mom and pop shops. WordPress provides various tools, plugins, and other features that make it the best publishing platform for any business. Here are some of the befits you get with WordPress.
Tracking Pixels Installed
Tracking pixels give web admins critical insights into how their website is performing with users. For example, you can track visitors with tools like Google Analytics or build audience profiles for retargeting purposes with the Google or Facebook pixel. There are many benefits of using tracking pixels, and you could be losing a lot of revenue by not using them. Below are some of the benefits.
Analytics & Heatmaps
The benefits of analytics and heatmaps can be advantageous for your business. Analytics will provide you with important information for effective marketing and a better user experience. Heatmaps show you visual ways that will help you understand how people are interacting on every page. These implementations will also provide your business with the following.
Client Friendly Backend
Client portals can benefit several industries, including realtors, healthcare providers, SAAS companies, and many others. By providing your prospective customers/clients the ability to log in to your website’s backend, you will be providing a personal experience where they can review their subscriptions, set up appointments, make their payments, view instructional poduct videos, and much more. Yet, many small business owners do not have a client portal built in.
Other Things To Consider For Your Business Website
Now that you understand how to make a business website that converts visitors, you need to define your unique selling proposition. Then, your pages should clearly communicate what you have to offer to your clients. For example, you may decide to specialize in dog grooming, web design, insurance, or vacation rentals; make sure your site shows your specific talents.
Many businesses create websites to gather customer information and track their Return On Investment (ROI). This is the wrong reason! Building a strong online presence should be a top priority. It should free up time for your employees, increase your profitability, and allow you to serve the needs of your clients better. It would be best if you focused on how to make a business website, not merely what you’re going to sell.
Final Thoughts On How To Make A Business Website
Many other things contribute to a successful website. To successfully market your business online, you must be a savvy business person. Internet marketing strategies will vary but include email marketing, social media marketing, pay-per-click advertising, and viral marketing.
While the subject of how to make a business website might seem obvious, you would be surprised at how few businesses take full advantage of this. The Internet is an excellent way to reach a global audience. It is also a quick way to introduce your product or service to your customers. Because of these reasons, developing a successful online presence should be an integral part of your business planning.
If you want to know more about our web design services and how we can build a sales machine for your business, contact us today.