Are you planning to make some changes to your website? You’ll want to keep a few key points in mind along the way. These items are all what I would consider must-have elements for an effective website. Yes, there are a lot more things that go into building an effective website that converts, but at the bare minimum, you should focus on these five things.

1. CLEAR & CONCISE STATEMENT OF WHAT YOUR BUSINESS DOES AND WHO YOU SERVE

This needs to be at the top of your home page and one of the first things your visitors see. If someone can’t figure out what you do within the first 10 seconds of landing on your webpage, you risk losing them!

2. CLEAR CALLS TO ACTION (CTA)

Your website should easily guide your visitors to take action. First, you’ll want to have a clear goal for the action you want your visitors to take, whether that’s joining your email list, filling out an inquire form, or joining a webinar. If your main goal is to get people to join your email newsletter, you shouldn’t be hiding the only sign up form in your footer. Make your desired action clear and easy for them!

3. USER-FRIENDLY NAVIGATION

Make sure your visitors can easily find their way around your website. This means not hiding your menu button and using clear navigation titles. It’s tempting to get creative with the standard titles for your various pages (Services, About Me, Contact, etc.), but it’s important to keep it simple and straight forward. If someone can’t easily find the link for your about page or contact page, they will most likely give up and choose to leave.

4. PROFESSIONAL (AND CONSISTENT) PHOTOGRAPHY

Professional photography is worth the investment. Even if you’re working with a limited budget (hey, I totally get that!), there are so many budget-friendly and even free resources for beautiful and professional photography available for commercial use (be sure to read the full license information). Some great places to start: SC Stockshop, Unsplash, Kaboompics, and MOYO Studio. Just remember to keep colors and style in mind to maintain consistency.

5. OVERALL CONSISTENCY

Limit the colors and fonts you use and stick to it! If already you have a brand guideline, you should reference that in how to keep everything in line and consistent. Remember, consistency is the #1 way to start building and maintaining trust in your business!

---

Be sure to check out the Showit website template collection!