No two business websites are exactly the same, and that’s just as it should be. You may own a small plumbing company; your neighbor may own an accounting firm, and down the street from you may be an e-commerce merchant. Your website doesn’t need to be identical to either of theirs, because your goals are quite different. The very nature of your business is different, and your website should reflect that.

But as you’ve probably noticed, there are a few core components that basically all business websites have—and not without reason. Some things are just essential. If you’re serious about using your website to turn traffic into clients, they’re non-negotiable.

So what are these non-negotiable website elements—the conversion-boosting features and design components that no company website should skip?

Key Components for Any Effective Business Website

The crucial elements for brand enhancement, lead generation, and search engine rankings include:

Detailed contact information—including a phone number on every page of your website. We’re always amazed at how many people skip over this important step. You should have full contact information somewhere on your site—perhaps the Home page, perhaps a Contact page, perhaps both—and you should have the phone number on every single page.

There are multiple reasons for this. One, it actually helps in your local search results, and two, it lends legitimacy to your business. Most significantly, though, you want to make sure any site visitor can immediately call your company as soon as they get it in their mind to do so. Every phone number is like a mini call-to-action, a reminder that you’re there to help.

Lead capturing forms. You want everyone who comes to your website to leave some information behind, so you can get back in touch with them and nudge them down the sales funnel. Not everyone actually will leave you their information, of course, but you can improve your ratios by including a lead capturing form—somewhere visitors can input their contact information—and perhaps sweeten the deal with a downloadable offer. For example, provide a free e-book to anyone who submits a name, phone number, and e-mail address.

Signifiers of trust. E-commerce is nothing new, and business websites are totally mundane by now, but still: There are people who remain a tad distrustful of doing business over the Web. Your website needs to reassure them, and let them know you can be trusted—that your business is reputable and legitimate.

Some ways to do this include:

• Showcasing your accolades and awards
• Highlighting your positive reviews from Google, Yelp, etc.
• Providing some customer testimonials
• Noting your guaranties, warranties, etc.

Thought leadership. This one really goes hand in hand with trust. Basically, you need to make it clear to your potential customers that you’re good at what you do—that you know what you’re talking about. Blogs accomplish this. YouTube tutorials can, too. E-books and other downloadable offers can help.

Humanity. Don’t forget that people prefer to do business with other people, not with faceless corporate entities. Anything you can do to make your page seem a little more personal, without sacrificing professionalism, can go a long way. Think: Team photos; brief bios; even behind-the-scenes videos.

Keep these elements in mind for your next website redesign—and if you need some guidance through that process, pick up the phone and give us a call!