Professional website is a must-have for any business. Whether it is trying to sell products or services online or just inform potential customers and to generate leads, how the website look and functions (how well it informs, conveys the message, sells, and connects) will affect businesses, bottom line.
Here are a couple of elements that every professional website should have and rules that it should follow:
1. White or light colored background.
Even though there are exception to this rule in most cases, you want white or light colored background and black or dark fonts as a combination for your website. It makes reading easy and helps to convey message.
2. Navigation for website should be easy to use and self-explanatory.
Visitors use navigation to browses your website and find information they need. It is well-known fact that visitors decide in the first couple of seconds whether they are they staying on the website or leaving and going elsewhere. Navigation that is well organized, easy to use, and clearly reveals the information your website contains is something that helps you keep visitor on your website. Tabbed navigation is sure bet, most visitors find it easier to understand, compared to other types of navigation.
3. Prominent phone number on every page.
While browsing your website, your prospects are in different stages of the decision process and you should offer him or her a way to contact you whenever he or she feel ready. Besides having a contact form, some people prefer to telephone and a phone number should be prominently displayed on every page. A good location to place it is at the top of the page right next to the navigation.
4. Engaging Photos
Engaging photos serve two purposes:
- Overall helps the webpage and website look better overall
- More importantly, helps visitor and prospective client read the text on your page.
Most people find it easier to read actual text on a page when photo or photos are present. The right photo or picture can help convey the information or message more easily.
5. Short Paragraphs & Bulleted Lists
We are all overloaded with a ton of information from everywhere. Visitors are going to decide in the first couple of seconds if they are staying on your website. Help them stay by presenting them information in small bites – short paragraphs and bulleted lists work best. Leave out all unnecessary information and provide additional information on separate pages if needed.