Cornerstone Content - What Key Pages Does Your Website Need?
Updated: Jul 17, 2018
In the modern era, a full 93% of ALL online experiences still begin in the exact same way: with a search engine. While it's true that social media pages like Facebook and Instagram also appear in results on sites like Google, your primary domain is still likely to be right at the top of that list. Which means that for better or worse, the vast majority of the people who are experiencing your brand for the first time have the exact same destination: your website.
Your website is more than just a virtual business card - or at least, it should be. It's an invaluable opportunity to take full advantage of one of the most critical assets you have - the first impression. Therefore, if you really want to make sure that your website makes the best first impression possible, there are a number of key pages you'll want to include.
The About Page
Absolutely no business website is complete without an "About Page" - which itself is a chance to explain who you are, what you do and, most essentially, why that matters.
Think about things from the perspective of someone discovering your brand for the first time. They don't just want to know that they're in the right place - they want to make sure that you're legit. They want to figure out what you can do and how that can help them. They want to see if you're successful and if you're living up to your promises. The right "About Us" page can guarantee all of this and more.
It's also a chance to get your brand story out there in a compelling way that really resonates with an audience. Plus, it doesn't hurt to include information about your physical location, as well as links to social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram.
The Contact Us Page
Similar in concept to the "About Us" page is the "Contact Us" page - the thing that, for many people, will be the next step that they take along their relationship path with your business.
To make the most out of your "Contact Us" page, make sure that ALL contact information is front and center "above the scroll." This includes not only your physical business location or mailing list but your phone number, links to your Facebook and Instagram pages, a "Contact" form, business hours (as applicable) and so on and so forth.
You'll also want to make sure that this page has a clear, compelling CTA. If you make it as easy as possible for someone to take your desired action - in this case, to "contact us" - rest assured that they probably will.
Services and Pricing
Last but not least we have "Services and Pricing," which depending on your situation could also be split up into two separate pages to fall more in line with the needs of your audience.
This is really your opportunity to dive into as much detail as possible about what, specifically, it is that you do. Make sure that each page doesn't appear too long - that's a great way to get people to tune out - but also make sure that they have the information they need to really get a better idea of how you can help them. Think about the types of questions that someone might ask when discovering your brand and try to answer them in helpful descriptions on this page.
You should also create a sub-page for EACH product or service that you offer in addition to a general overview, too. This is a great way to help with your SEO efforts by giving your content more opportunities to rank for specific keywords. A digital inbound marketing agency can help you with all of this.
Likewise, you'll want to include as much information about your pricing as possible - even if you can't be too specific due to the flexible nature of your services. Even if you have to include a range ("we perform X services at a range of $100 to $200 per hour") or something to that effect, you should still do so to help make sure your visitors have all the information they need to make the most informed decision that they can.
Again, it's important for you to look at your website for what it really is: a chance to reach out and make a connection with members of your target audience. Your website should be all about offering a complete, compelling experience to people that compels them to take the next step. Without the types of pages outlined above, that goal won't just be difficult - it's probably going to be impossible.
Have questions? Contact me.