Your business is launched. You’re ready to go online. But what are the ingredients of a successful website for your product? Thing is, launching a website isn’t about reinventing the wheel. It’s been done over and over by countless businesses, and it’s all on show! Join me as I shine a light on a website that does a great job of promoting their product, and learn what elements you can borrow for your own project.
Look to solve a big challenge on your homepage
Putting yourself in the visitors’ shoes is a good first step to understanding what needs to be on your homepage. Think about what they might want to achieve or solve. Help them confirm they’ve made the right choice by answering a big question they might have, or provide a solution to an inconvenience or challenge. This all goes towards helping the visitor know they’re in the right place.
The example website I’m using for this article is the online bank, Monzo. Banking is notoriously antiquated and many people are frustrated with the experience they get from their high street bank. They’re looking for an experience that matches up with other things they do online.
Monzo gets straight to the point on their homepage, telling you that banking with them is easy. And they back up this claim by telling you that you can do everything you need from your own device, for free. They show a nice image of their app alongside too, displaying key financial information you’d expect from a bank, presented in a modern fashion.
They then follow this up with a clear call-to-action button to get your very own bank account and break free from the shackles of traditional banking. Hurrah! Sign me up!
Of course, some people want more information before they take the plunge. Scroll down the page and you’ll see other key information, such as showing the number of people that are already signed up, along with key features and benefits of their product.
Key takeaways
- Look to answer a question or solve a problem on your home page
- Provide clear call-to-actions so the user knows what to do next
- Give easy access to more information if the user wants it
Answer specific questions with features (and benefits)
As previously mentioned, many visitors will want to dig a little deeper into what your product offers and how it might benefit them. This is where you can create a section for features. Depending on your product, you could create multiple pages. As you scroll down Monzo’s homepage, they include different sections for each key feature.
For bigger features that require more explanation or have multiple benefits, they include a call-to-action button to take you to another page. This keeps things concise and tidy on the home page.
When creating your own feature sections or pages, you can go into much more detail and unpack what a feature does, give specific examples of how it can be used, and back it up with facts. Where appropriate, you can also include a call-to-action button for the user to take the next step.
Key takeaways
- List out your features and benefits, but for bigger features that require more explanation, consider creating a separate page and link to it.
- If a feature has multiple benefits, break it down into sections and give examples.
Show off your product and make it human
You can write all day long about how great your product is, but at some point, the user will want to see it. Effectively, it’s another piece of proof that will go towards helping them make their buying decision.
Monzo uses images of its product throughout its website to complement every feature description. This supports what they’ve written, but also shows how nice their product looks, especially compared to some of the other banking apps on the market!
Additionally, for their business product, Monzo begins to introduce real people. This tactic brings a human element to their product and allows website visitors to identify with the various people featured. In essence, visitors can feel “hey, I’m a business owner like these people, I want to be happy like them.”
Key takeaways
- Include images of your product to complement your written copy
- Introduce real people (such as customers) where possible to build trust
Include a frequently asked questions section
An FAQ section is great for answering specific questions visitors may have, and present other things they might not have thought about before.
Monzo has a simple, well laid out FAQ section that answers some very basic questions but also important regulatory ones. They also include their contact details towards the end of the section if your question isn’t answered. This is perfect for expanding the FAQ section based on popular requests from website visitors.
It’s common knowledge that most buyers conduct the bulk of their research online before making a purchase, so the more helpful information you can provide, and the more questions you can answer, the easier your job will be when the visitor makes contact.
Key takeaways
- Answer your most popular questions on the FAQ page, and if you spot a trend in new questions, add it to the page to help other visitors.
Make it easy for the user to buy when they are ready
At some point in the user’s journey, they’re (hopefully) going to be ready to buy. At this point, you want to make sure that it’s easy for them to sign up or purchase with as little friction as possible.
Monzo makes signing up easy by including a sign-up button on their navigation bar that is on display at all times. Of course, there are strategically placed call-to-actions throughout the website too. One thing that is obvious is that the site isn’t peppered with buttons. This means the user can feel in complete control, and any call-to-actions provided are there to help, not to hinder.
Key takeaways
- Make it simple for the user to sign up or buy with an easy-to-find button
- Be sparing with your call-to-actions – too many can look pushy and turn the user off
You don’t need a banking product to use this approach. Everything can be adapted to suit the needs of any product or even your service. Fundamentally, it’s all about solving challenges for your user, educating them about what your business does, backing that up with proof, and providing an easy way for them to get what’s on offer. You don’t need to jump in and apply all these ideas either. Just pick out what you feel comfortable with and give it a go when creating content for your website!
What product or service do you use that has a great website? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
(Featured image by Bram Naus on Unsplash)
