A website is a tool that any business can use to communicate who they are and what they do. It becomes an online resource for the customer to get to know companies and their products and services. However, a common mistake most businesses make when designing a website is making it from their point of view. Businesses must understand that customers do not have the same understanding of their business like they do. They need to design their websites to cater to a customer’s point of view, rather than their own.
A website is most effective when it runs smoothly and is intuitive to use. Businesses must consider how consumers use websites on every platform and what features they use the most, and this gives them the information they need to design their website for their customers. Here are some of the features a website must have that consumers value.
Easy Navigation, Responsiveness, and Compatibility
On the top of the list that consumers value in a website are easy navigation and responsiveness. Giving your customers an easy way to find everything they need immediately is a great way to retain customers. When customers find it hard to navigate your website, learning more about you becomes a chore, and it kills their enthusiasm about you instantly. Additionally, a responsive web design also contributes to how easy it is to navigate your website. If your website doesn’t react quickly to every touch or click, it can end up feeling choppy and slow.
If businesses take the time and effort to improve their websites to be more responsive and easier to navigate, retaining customers will be a breeze.
Establish Trust and Authority
Seventy-five percent of people say they would purchase from brands they can trust, regardless of how much their products cost. Additionally, they are also more willing to buy new products from them. It’s become clear that brand trust is a valuable asset that every business should strive to achieve. However, how exactly does one build trust with their customers? The answer is content. It is authoritative, relevant, and engaging content.
When a customer arrives at your website and sees that the first piece of content that greets them does not represent your brand, it quickly turns them off. It makes your brand feel incompetent and insincere, translating to customers thinking that your brand isn’t a business they can trust.
Your website must have authoritative content that showcases who you are and what your brand does. An “About Us” page is the perfect opportunity to introduce your brand to customers. Sharing the story of how your brand started and its purpose in the world is a great way to build trust. Supplement it with a blog with posts about how the company is doing and resource materials customers can access to learn more about your company. Additionally, make sure that your products and services have easy-to-understand descriptions and detailed photos. Hiring eCommerce web designers can help you with that necessary project.
All of these contribute to how credible your website and brand are and can do wonders for building trust with customers.
Live Chat
Customers are showing more and more interest in live chat features on websites. Research shows that about 62% of consumers expect your website to have a live chat feature. Customers prefer real-time messaging with real people who can answer their questions about your business and products. While chatbots are great for customers who don’t want to call or send an email for a quote, there’s still no replacing the satisfaction of knowing that you’re talking to a real person about real concerns. The effort is why customers value live chat so much.
A live chat feature can even contribute to making a sale push through. Giving customers information about products they’re interested in while shopping on your website can encourage them to complete their purchase faster since their concerns get addressed in real-time.
Get Social
Social media is the biggest platform in the world where you can market just about anything. At the time of writing, there are about 4.48 billion people on social media platforms. That’s 4.48 billion chances that people can potentially see your content and find out about your brand. With that said, you should include all social media accounts of your business on the website. But of course, don’t include social media accounts that your business can’t regularly update. It makes it easier for customers to find you and follow you on social media platforms where your business posts the most.
These are website features that consumers value the most. However, it’s important to note that there are many more features you can add that are relevant to your brand. Don’t limit your website to just these four recommendations and explore other engaging website features.
