Our Top 10 Website Must Haves of 2019

Everyday small and large business owners pour money down the drain with sporadic marketing initiatives that just don't produce results. And while Elexi is all for websites, we are NOT for websites that don't give you return on your investment.

A lot of persons focus solely on design which is important, however, just a great looking website still won't do the job. There are certain key elements necessary to ensure that your site is attractive new visitors, generate quality leads and converting them into buyers.

Here are our top 10 website must haves of 2019:

1. Blog

Blogging has been very important for a long time. This remains 100% in 2019. Content is still KING! And let us tell you why. A blog allows you to create helpful content that is relevant to customers and prospective customers of your business. This helps your website to show up on Google when they try to find solutions for their problem. The content on your blog can then be re purposed and used on all social media platform. This is excellent for driving traffic to your site. This is also good for engaging and building trust with visitors as they comment and interact with your brand. Best of all this whole process boosts your search rankings on Google and position your brand as a leader in your field. Excellent examples of websites with great blogs include Moz, Engadget & Mashable. Blog content writing is one of our favorite things to do here at Elexi DM. So be sure to check out our content marketing services if you need a blog on your site.

2. FAQ Page

This is another page that is often overlooked by companies. But it is extremely important. While a blog post is a good place for new visitors to familiarize themselves with your brand, the FAQ page can really do a great in turning leads into converting customers. FAQ stands for frequently asked questions and provides a ton loads of benefits for your website. Firstly, FAQ helps to address your reader's needs. Once people start to get more interested in your products or services. The FAQ page can become a main stay in your customer journey mapping. A well written FAQ will quickly assist them by answering a lot of their existing concerns and convince them that your offerings are right for them. Another upside is that is reduces alot of stress on customer service in answering redundant questions. And just like blog posts it gives you the opportunity and to show Google's search rankings and people that ypou are truly an expert in your field. Being able to promptly and effectively answer questions about your products and services but also about relevant concerns and topics in the industry you operate.

3. Natural & Organic Shapes

For years web design has focused on straight lines and symmetry as designers try to create a sense of stability and balance on web pages. However, there has been an emergence of curves, natural shapes and smooth lines that really seem to be taking off. This because they add layer and depth to your site and of course look more natural. This is because straight lines do not occur in nature but rather organic shapes. In turn it resonates with human users better. It brings your site alive through the illusion of movement.

4. SSL Certificate

SSL is the way technological pioneers are securing the internet. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. The primary reason your website needs one is that it encrypts information. As you or your users upload information on to the site, it becomes visible from computer to computer as it aims to arrive on the destination server. SSL encrypts the information so it is only the end user of any piece of information can understand it. This can protect credit card numbers, name and addresses of your users. The SSL also ensures that no one else can pose as your company as getting one requires validation that your site truly represents your business. Finally it tells your visitors that your site is secure with an indication in the URL bar. This builds trust and is friendly for your users as well as for search engine rankings.

5. Fast & Reliable Hosting

If you wish for your site to drive revenue then the first step is always proper hosting. You need a site that will be up as close to 24/7 as possible. To enhance user experience it needs to have quick loading speeds. Other factors that separate good companies from mediocre ones include some form of security of your digital assets with each package as well as customer service that responds immediately to your company's needs. Luckily you can find top notch industry standard hosting here at Elexi. We offer affordable packages for small businesses, medium businesses and even at the enterprise level. Find out more here.

6. Chatbots/ Live Chat

We live in a time of instant gratification. And so as part of customer service you must ensure that interested persons as well as existing customers get answers immediately to queries they might have. People are now quick to leave websites that are not fulfilling their search needs immediately. While blog posts and FAQ remains a main stay in digital marketing, to fill the gap created by modern day instant gratification business owners and web developers have turned to two key tools.
First of which is Live Chat. This connects a website user directly with an agent who can answer their questions. No need to dial a number or push extra buttons. They can answer queries directly and assist with purchasing and setup. All while the user continues to browse the site. This however requires a capable customer service and sales force team that can assist with sales questions, technical questions or whatever type of query people may throw at them.
Meanwhile a ChatBot is a bit different. It involves having an automated responder on your website. Just like with live chat, users can get their questions answered immediately. The chatbot is a robot programmed to answer common questions and is almost like an FAQ assist without the user having to go through all the content on a FAQ page. It is capable of understanding what users are asking and provide valid responses, at least until a real customer service rep becomes available. Chatbots and LiveChat features can become a valuable asset to your website and business whether using them individually or a combination of both.

7. Automatic Website Backup Software

It is important to note that while you can have strong website security. No site is completely protected from viruses and hacking. This means that you should have software that automatically creates offsite backup copies of your site so you can restore to a previous version if anything does go wrong. Luckily each Elexi DM hosting packages have weekly backups. You can subscribe yearly to CodeGuard on check-out for daily backups.

8. Mobile Responsiveness

It is absolutely imperative for all websites these days to remain functional and user friendly on mobile devices such as phones and tablets. In fact depending on the industry, the website must be design first for mobile then for desktop. This is as a result an increase in portable devices to browse the web, finally surpassing desktop use in 2015. Persons do not want to deal with a company that is unprofessional so having a mobile site layout that is readable, easy to understand and not full of glitches is a must. Also, Google's ranking factors strongly consider a website's mobile friendliness when do determining which site shows up first on the search engine.

9. Easy Checkout Process

Gone are the days of using generic checkout processes. As a part of the last stage of the customer journey, excluding loyalty, you want to ensure that a customer who is ready to buy is guided with all the proper elements to comfortably make a purchase. The process might differ depending on the industry, example a hotel booking vs a digital product. However, customers must feel confident about a purchase, do it easily and not be distracted. Also a good marketing tip is to send a follow up confirmation email when someone makes a purchase on your site.

10. Anti-Spam Software

Filtering out spam is a must, especially for larger businesses. It used to be a case where you could ignore spam however now tactics have gotten so sophisticated that it could cost your business a lot of its resources. Great Anti-spam software can block threats such as malware disguised as messages, help your company to continuously meet data regulations and keep your reputation intact. Great examples are CleanTalk and Askimet.

Conclusion

Many of these has been important for a long time. However as of 2019 they are all mandatory if your company is venturing into the world of digital marketing. You want to ensure that your website remains not just a reliable asset but a profitable one. Just to summarize, your website needs:

- A Blog
- A Frequently Asked Questions page (FAQ)
- Organic & Natural Shapes
- An SSL Certificate
- Fast & Reliable Hosting
- Chatbots or Live Chat
- Automatic Website Backups
- Mobile Responsiveness
- Easy Checkout Process
- Anti-spam software

It is very understandable however that you maybe very busy. And paying attention to all these intricate things on your website might not have been on your priority list before. It could also be that you are swamped with work at the administration level and you haven't gotten the time to pay attention to these things on your website. Elexi Dm's Managed Services can provide the all-in-solution you need to ensure your site not only possess all these necessary attributes and features, but driving traffic and making money. Be sure to check it out!