We all want to have a successful website. Having such a website can mean the difference between having a successful business and going bankrupt! This is particularly important if our only marketing strategy is our Internet presence. What then are the secrets to attaining a successful website? This article sets out some of the critical elements that your website should have.

User-friendly Layout

Nothing pushes away a website visitor more than a layout that is difficult to navigate. Visitors should find it easy to move from page to page in a seamless and organized manner. Clearly labeled icons with the same format or position on each page are essential. The visitor should also have the ability to go to the home page from any page on your website.

Constant Theme

Have a constant theme throughout your website. Do not appear to be confused as to what business you are in. What is the purpose of your website? Ask yourself this question repeatedly as you design the pages.

Content is King

This is often said yet there are still a lot of websites that lack useful content. They resemble a page of classified advertisements. Give your visitors information of value to them, give it free and give it often.

Grammatical Errors

Grammatical errors on your website suggest that you are not a professional. People are reluctant to do business with persons who appear to be too lazy to take care of simple matters.

Language Tone

Visitors to your website want to be relaxed as they move around the pages. If you employ a conversational tone in your writing they will feel at home and stay longer!

Design Sticky Pages

Your website pages must have features that encourage or require visitors to spend a fair amount of time when they arrive. Don’t be boring. Bored visitors will not hang around for long. Encourage Future Visits

Repeat visits should be encouraged. An effective way of doing this is to make your visitors aware of coming attractions/events/reports. Ask them to bookmark the site for future visits.

Customer Support

Always provide a customer support facility even if it is through email only. Add a “Frequently Asked Questions” page or pages to make it easier for visitors to get instant answers to basic questions.

Action Required

Let visitors know what action you want them to take. Ask for the order or ask them to signup for your newsletter etc.

Build Customer List

Always try to collect the email address of your visitors. Offer them a free report as incentive to signup and follow up with useful information from time to time. Research suggests that visitors seldom purchase on their first visit to a website.

I. O'Neil Williams (c) 2005

O'Neil is an internet entrepreneur who believes in achieving financial independence through passive income streams. He is President of TranswebSystems, a one-stop Internet web-store that provides all you need to get your online business up and running in minutes.