An immense amount of work went into building your business website and the planning of its content. You don't want all that work to go to waste.

A few mistakes can drive off potential customers. 

If you're not communicating the right things to your visitors in the right way, your website won't perform very well, but it's actually a pretty easy fix.

Here are 7 must-have elements of a highly successful website that will convert visitors to customers.

1 Your Home Page 

Your website's home page is usually the first thing people will see when they visit your site. It should clearly say who you are and what you do. It should also include easy, intuitive navigation to the other information the visitor is looking for. 

From this page, you want to make sure it is simple and easy to understand what you offer. Many business owners try to be clever instead of being clear and end up running would-be customers away because they are not sure what they actually do. Always chose clear over clever.

2 Content that Delivers

Your website should be filled with quality content, providing the information your target audience is looking for. Each web page should offer content that gives helpful information to build relationships, solve problems, earn trust, and explain your services.

The goal is to establish you as the go-to for information and answers in your field of expertise. 

Most people will find your website because they are looking for something: an answer to a question, a solution to a problem, or advice on how to do something.

So be sure your website delivers what they are looking for and frames you as the next part of the solution. 

3 Tell Them Your Story

Somewhere on your website, you should tell your founding story. Tell visitors why it is you do what you do. Explain to them your mission and core values.

Show them how you make the world a better place. They, in turn, will recognize their own values in your story, and this will help to forge a strong relationship.

Being transparent and real helps to build know, like, and trust - and all three of those things lead to long-term, happy customers that come back and refer.

4 Give Em Social Proof

Some well-placed social proof shows that you're trustworthy, and you get results for those who use your services or products. Social proof, like reviews and testimonials, works because it shows a third-party person explaining the value you offer instead of you going on about how great you are. 

One successful method is to include testimonials from your past customers and clients. If you even can get an influencer to leave you a testimonial and this will work even better. Another great way to demonstrate your value is to include information about any webinars, keynotes, or speeches you've given. This will further show that you're an expert in your field.

5 Something Nice to Look At

Your website should also include plenty of engaging visuals. Humanize your business with a picture of you and your employees. Take your visitor behind the scenes. Present them detailed and beautiful images of your products. Videos work incredibly well, too, as it really allows people to see your personality and get a feel for you even better.

6 Give Them a Call-to-Action

Anywhere you want your visitor to take some type of action (like signing up for your list), give them a clear call to action. Tell them exactly what actions they need to take to receive what you offer. 

Some actions might include buying your products, signing up for your email list, following you on your social media profiles, checking out content elsewhere like on YouTube, or commenting on a post of yours. If you don't lead your visitor to action, you're leaving money on the table. 

Many visitors will not be ready to purchase from you just yet, so be sure to give them an opportunity to sign up for your email list. This is best done by offering a simple lead magnet, like a guide or checklist, in exchange for their email.

This gives them a taste of your personality, showcases your authority and expertise, and allows you to continue the relationship through email and be there for them when they are ready to move forward.

Many business owners skip this crucial step (I think it may be the #1 most important one) because the tech scares them.

How do you set this up?

How do you deliver the guide?

And I can understand your frustration and hesitancy. That is why we created done for you funnels that have all the tech set up, all the emails written, and all you have to do is swap out a few details (like your name and logo), and you are good to go.

To make it even easier, we created detailed videos on how to customize it all yourself or an option to have it all set up for you. You can find out more about how easy our funnels are at funnels.toriemathis.com

7 The Essentials

Finally, make sure your website has your up-to-date contact information, your privacy policy, a Terms of Service, and whatever other certificates you have. This will show that you're a legit and trustworthy company offering value.

Do you want to learn more about how to get your website to be more effective? Be sure to sign up for my weekly email with actionable ways you can market your business smarter without wasting time or money!

Here's to working SMART.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: TORIE MATHIS

Torie Mathis helps entrepreneurs get from where they are to where they want to be by working smart.  She is a best-selling author, Army veteran, speaker + trainer, and your mentor to creating the business+ life you love. She has cracked the code for creating a lucrative, independent business + an amazing lifestyle. She can help you with your marketing and business growth, your clarity and purpose and help you reach your vision of success. 🙂

Torie hosts SMART AF, a show for non-techy, non-marketers looking to grow their business, with her husband Sean and is the creator of SMART AF Magazine.