Ask your own customers what they expect to see when they look at your website. But generally, it will include these ‘basic’ 10 items below
What people want on a website – 10 things people expect to find on your website.
1. What you do
What problem do you solve? What value do you add? Make it clear in the fewest number of words. Do not drone on about features or specs, but do have them available somewhere for people who want to read about them.
2. Who you are
Why are you good at solving that problem? What qualifications or certifications do you have?
3. Why you do it
What drives you to do what you do? What makes you stand out? Many people buy why you do something as much as what it is you do.
4. Where you do it
Which geographic areas do you cover/serve? Do you charge more outside that area?
5. FAQS
Answer their common questions. Listen to the questions you get asked verbally or by email etc, then answer these on the website. Include pricing or indication of typical fees.
6. Why they should deal with you
Add details of any guarantees, promises, warranties, experience etc. Show any awards, media mentions, certifications and qualifications, type of clients, numbers of clients. Show photos of your Team members and Partners, include years of service etc. Use high quality original concise written text and photographs. And ideally add video to show your attention to detail and quality of your work. Typos and bad grammar will not help your cause. Nor will generic AI generated content, written or graphic. Be authentic with your content, especially in a world where so many others are using AI poorly as a lazy option.
7. Why you are the best choice
To create trust, use independent customer reviews and case studies, videos and written to show Social Proof or social validation. A good portfolio of case studies with video testimonials from happy clients would be ideal. Along with positive Google Reviews, Facebook Reviews and LinkedIn recommendations.
8. Show your domain authority
Or expert status by offering useful tips and advice on your chosen subject. If you know it all, show it all. Be generous with your advice. Show where you have been published or interviewed on your topic. Give some real insights of value to the reader.
9. Newsletter
Let people sign up in case they want to stay informed about valuable offers and useful tips from you or your business. The vast majority of people do NOT want to sign up for another Newsletter. So, only offer this option if you are going to invest time in creating one that is worth reading.
10. Your contact details
Telephone number, preferably a landline, an email address and a contact form. Plus instant chat could be good to offer, if you can respond in real time.
Some or all of this will seem very obvious to you, but have a look at your own website and see if you actually have all these points covered. Maybe you also need to include a clear button for pricing which is a key one for many visitors. Or a page for Support or Portfolio or Shop or Pay Fees. If you asked us to do an audit of your website would these boxes all be ticked already? And this is only the basic stuff.
Logical Website Userflow
Best Website Features – website must haves
Your website needs to be:
- Easy to navigate
- Fast to load
- Include great relevant content and
- Allow people to move freely and be able to contact you via a form, email, telephone or Instant Chat
Additional tips on what makes a website successful
Avoid sliders of images on the home page. Try to imagine the visitor is walking in to your physical location, office or store, how do they know where to go to find what they want. What kind of signposting do you use. Get some people to test this for you and get feedback, so that you can continually improve. Check your website and its navigation and forms on a mobile phone too. Ideally, test it on a few different mobile phones.
Test your contact forms weekly. Every page should have one main CTA Call to Action, either to contact us or download our PDF or see the next related article, place an order or get a special offer etc.
Whilst every page done well, will hopefully funnel your visitors to a decision or action, any individual page done badly may funnel them away from you, possibly for good, on to some other competitor website. Imagine you went in to a legal practice office and there was nobody at reception or if there was someone, but they simply ignored you – what would you do?
FAQS on What people want to see on a website?
What are the most important elements every website should have?
A well-designed website should have clear navigation, fast load times, mobile responsiveness, engaging content and strong security measures. Whether you’re a business in Dublin City Centre near Trinity College or a local service provider in Donegal Town, users expect an easy-to-use website that provides the information they need quickly. Features like a contact form, customer reviews and service pages tailored to your audience will improve user experience and engagement.
How important is website speed for visitors and SEO?
Website speed is critical, if a site takes more than 3 seconds to load, most users will leave. This is especially important for businesses in busy areas like Grafton Street in Dublin or Letterkenny in Donegal, where people expect fast access to information on their mobile devices. Google also prioritises fast websites in search rankings, so improving your site speed can help you reach more potential customers. And to add more pressure AI tools like ChatGPT want your website to load in 1 second… yes ONE second. These AI tools have to search and retrieve as quickly as they can, so they will prioritise a faster result.
How can a website build trust with visitors?
Trust is built through professional design, clear contact details, customer testimonials and security features like SSL encryption. A solicitor’s website in Ballsbridge, Dublin, or an architect’s portfolio site in Donegal’s Wild Atlantic Way should display professional accreditations, case studies and reviews to reassure potential clients. Adding real photos of your team and office location (instead of stock images) can also enhance credibility.
Why is mobile-friendliness important for a website?
Over 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices, so having a mobile-friendly site is crucial. Whether a tourist is searching for a restaurant in Temple Bar or a homeowner in Buncrana is looking for a local builder, they want a website that loads well on their phone. A mobile-responsive design ensures users can navigate easily, read text without zooming in and click buttons without frustration.
What role does content play in keeping visitors engaged?
Content helps users find answers, stay informed and take action. Whether it’s a blog about home renovations in Rathmines or a service page for financial advisors in Donegal Town, well-structured content should be informative, engaging and easy to skim. Including FAQs, images and video content (like client testimonials or project showcases) can keep visitors on your site longer and increase conversions.
