Whether you’re hiring someone to write and design your website or you’re doing it the ol’fashioned DIY way — there are four pages your website must have in order to launch.

Here’s our quick little rundown of the website basics we recommend no matter what you’re offering.

Website Must Have #1: About Page

When people head to your website for the first time — they’re not only looking to learn more about what you do — but who you are. That’s why About Pages are absolutely essential when it comes to laying out your website (and your navigation menu).

The caveat though? Your About Page should really be more about your ideal client or customer than it is about you or your brand.

Tricky, right?

(We wrote an entire blog dedicated to writing About Pages that ACTUALLY SELL and you can read that here for more information.)

But the bottom line? Your About Page is a critical part of your brand’s digital footprint and a great place to answer basic questions / specific pain points your ideal client or customer has.

Some ideas for ways to creatively use your About Page?

• Tell your brand’s story. What problem did you see and how did you decide you’d solve it?
• Sell the transformation, not the process. People buy with their emotions — communicate the benefit of working with / buying from you as a way to lure them in and close the deal.
• Showcase your value. Include client testimonials and reviews.

Website Must Have #2: Product or Services Page

Whether you’re selling a product or a service — you need a place for people to land when they’re getting ready to book or buy. Having a “Shop” page (for those selling products) or a “Services” page (for those selling services) is a crucial piece to funneling people to the next step in their buying journey.

A quick word on Services pages for service-based providers: One thing we constantly recommend to clients is to break out their services by category (be it price range or type of service.) In order to speak clearly and directly to your ideal client — it’s important to understand that someone looking at your 3-week group coaching course (at a lower investment level) is probably not the same person who’s looking at your 6-week 1:1 intensive (at the high-end of your investment scale). 

Breaking down your services into ranges or categories and then showcasing them within those buckets makes your job of speaking directly to the benefits your ideal client will care about a bit easier.

Website Must Have #3: Blog

Most people hate this suggestion because instead of their website being “one and done” — it requires some ongoing content creation and management. 

If you’re a beginner (either newly launching a website or reviving a website that you left dormant for a bit) — a blog is critical to your website… and here’s why:

• A blog helps establish you as an authority in your industry by giving you the opportunity to publish valuable content at regular intervals.
• Having valuable content on your blog gives you a place to regularly drive people and creates the opportunity for incidental connections to things like your Services / Products page.
• When done strategically and done well, the output of regular, useful, and valuable content can be a HUGE component to a successful SEO strategy — increasing your “findability” on search engines.

Not sure what type of blog content can accomplish everything listed above? 

Just answer questions.

What are some of the recurring questions your clients or customers are asking?

What are some of the 101 level basics in your industry that you can offer a unique perspective on?

What are people Googling when they’re doing their first level of research to book with or buy from someone like you?

Website Must Have #4: Contact Page

When it comes to websites, sometimes having a page or an element just because people expect it is reason enough to incorporate it into your site.

In my opinion, that’s the case for Contact pages.

People look for Contact pages when they have questions, want to fill out a “work with me” form, or want to know where to find you outside of your website.

My tried and true advice? Don’t label your Contact Page as something cute or clever — call it what it is and make it incredibly easy to navigate.

And when someone reaches out to you or fills out your form? Remember this fun little fame: The fortune’s in the follow up.

Don’t leave them hanging — get back to them when you say you will.

To connect with a strategic marketing partner who understands startups and the unique challenges you face in creating websites that convert, book a free Discovery Call with Carter House Copy today.