| In this age of information, it seems almost | | | | content also keeps customers coming back for |
| everyone has a website. Whether the website is | | | | more - they want to see what you will add next. |
| for personal reasons, business, or social | | | | 6) Easy Navigation - This is one of the most |
| networking, almost everyone has one. That | | | | important aspects of a good website - and it is |
| doesn't mean that the website is doing what it is | | | | often overlooked. As mentioned previously, make |
| supposed to do. Just because anyone can build a | | | | sure that anyone and everyone can easily |
| website, does not mean that it is a good website. | | | | navigate from page to page within your website. |
| For the purposes of this article, I will be discussing | | | | A website without links back to the Home Page |
| business websites, and that includes websites for | | | | or without links from page to page is a huge |
| small businesses and home businesses. Every | | | | frustration to most consumers. Also make sure all |
| website needs factors that make it professional | | | | links are working correctly. A broken link not only |
| and marketable. The top ten things that every | | | | looks unprofessional, it can deter a customer |
| website should have are listed below. | | | | from coming back to your website. |
| 1) Simple Design and Layout - A website doesn't | | | | 7) Creative Page Names and Titles - This is |
| have to be super flashy to draw traffic and | | | | another great way to ensure that the search |
| appeal to customers. In fact, flashy is usually a | | | | engines see your website and think it is important. |
| turnoff to most people - and to the search | | | | Having creative page names and creative website |
| engines. It is important that your website have a | | | | titles is a must. Make sure you use keywords |
| simple, streamlined and professional design, and | | | | relevant to your niche in these page names and |
| that it be laid out in a simple, consistent way. The | | | | website titles. Not only will this help give your site |
| website graphics and images also need to be | | | | a higher rank in the search engines, it will help |
| simple and easy to load. Macromedia Flash | | | | your customers see you as consistent. Someone |
| animations are a no-no here - search engines | | | | who is consistent is also reliable. |
| cannot "read" Flash animations, and they are too | | | | 8) Social Networking - Social networking isn't just |
| hard to load. When you consider that a majority | | | | for making friends. It is an excellent way to draw |
| of consumers still don't have fast broadband | | | | traffic to a website. Join forums, make profiles on |
| internet connections, it is best to have a simple | | | | sites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and |
| website that is easy to load. | | | | YouTube, submit your website to directories like |
| 2) Search Engine Optimization - Any business | | | | Digg.com, build a Squidoo lens to link back to and |
| website needs to be optimized for the search | | | | promote your website. All of the above will help |
| engines to "read" it more easily, and for your | | | | you build up links to your website, and will also |
| website to have a higher page rank in the search | | | | promote and brand yourself as a professional. |
| engines. The point of this is to draw higher | | | | Getting in there and networking with people lets |
| volumes and better quality of traffic to your | | | | them see what you have to offer. Offer up |
| website. You can do this by having a website that | | | | plenty of good free content and advice, and place |
| is simple, yet full of unique text content that | | | | links to your website on your profiles. This will |
| contains related keywords throughout the | | | | draw traffic to your website like flies to honey. |
| content. This will draw targeted, pre-qualified leads | | | | 9) Add an autoresponder - Make a squeeze page |
| and customers to your website. | | | | (a separate page with enticing information that |
| 3) An "About Us" page - When customers drop | | | | leads to your main website) and add an |
| by your website, they love to be able to have a | | | | autoresponder box to it, or add an autoresponder |
| way to read more about your company or small | | | | box to the home page of your main website. An |
| business - especially if it is a home-based business! | | | | autoresponder is an automated e-mail service that |
| Many people are looking to work from home, and | | | | sends out pre-scheduled, automated replies to |
| someone may become so interested in your | | | | your customers and pre-scheduled newsletters. |
| business that they contact you, interested in | | | | An autoresponder box on your website or |
| partnering with you. The point of this is, | | | | squeeze page lets people input their names and |
| customers love to able to learn more about the | | | | e-mail address in order to either get access to |
| company with whom they may be making a | | | | useful information, or to join your newsletter. |
| purchase. Have a clear, concise biography about | | | | Either way, this is an excellent way to build a |
| your company and/or you included in your | | | | customer list. With a list, you can build trust with |
| website. Make it friendly and enjoyable to read. | | | | your followers by sending them fresh, useful |
| When a customer feels as if he/she knows you, | | | | content. This leads to long-term repeat customers |
| they are more likely to purchase your products. | | | | and more sales. |
| Don't overload them with information, however - | | | | 10) Proofreading - You might be surprised how |
| just keep it simple. | | | | often this factor is overlooked. You may be |
| 4) Contact information - Just as it is very | | | | surprised by the simplicity of this, but |
| important to have an "about us" page, it is vital to | | | | proofreading the content on a website is an ultra |
| have easy to find contact information on your | | | | important thing to do. Always proofread and |
| website. You should include on this page any way | | | | check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation |
| that a customer can contact you or your | | | | errors before you publish the content on your |
| company, such as e-mail, phone numbers, fax | | | | website. Content that is full of spelling or grammar |
| numbers, and a snail-mail address. Also let the | | | | errors is off-putting to any customer, and it looks |
| customers know who he/she will reach with | | | | very unprofessional. Fortunately there is an easy |
| e-mail and phone number. Make it easy for | | | | solution - double check your content and correct |
| anyone to navigate back and forth from your | | | | any mistakes. |
| contact information to other pages within the | | | | Remember, though, that the most important |
| website. | | | | factor of all to a website is traffic. If there is no |
| 5) Fresh content - This aspect is also vitally | | | | traffic, there are no sales. No sale means no |
| important. Adding and updating fresh, unique | | | | money. Fortunately, if you research your niche, |
| content will look good to both your customers | | | | learn how to effectively utilize internet marketing, |
| and the search engines. Continuously adding fresh | | | | and follow the tips in this article, your website will |
| content lets the search engines see your website | | | | be sure to be a smashing success. |
| as important, and your page rank will higher. Fresh | | | | |