2024 Website Essentials

Whether you're building from scratch or revamping an existing website, a compelling online presence is not just an option, but a must. Here's the 5 non-negotiables for your business website in 2024. 

Mobile First Design

Gone are the days where laptops or desktops being the primary means to view a website. With 45.8% of Kiwis browsing on their mobile, chances are your customers will be checking out your website on their mobile - making it more important than ever to have a mobile first or responsive design. Simplistic, user and thumb friendly designs are in and here to stay. 

Accessible Design

You might see us talk about this a fair bit and for good reason, your website should be designed to cater to all users, regardless of their abilities. Not only does an accessible design make your website easier to interact with for everyone, widening your audience, but search engines rewards your for it too, giving you a boost in search engine results.

Without getting too into the details, here are some ways you can make your website more accessible:

• Utilise high contrasting colours that are different to each other 
• Go for fonts that are clear and easy to read - try to keep your font size above 9
• Provide captions and alternative text for multimedia content like images and videos

Speedy Load Times

With more and more users browsing on the go, a slow-loading website can save you from missed opportunities - or losing a customer to a competitor. Too slow and you'll miss out on customers before they even see your website, making all your efforts null and void. With 1 in 4 visitors estimated to leave a website if it takes longer than 4 seconds to loads, you ideally want your website to load in under 3 seconds, with the ideal target being 1 or 2 seconds.

About Us Page

This may not be ground breaking, but building trust and establishing a connection with your customers is crucial these days. Your About Us page is an opportunity to do just this, showcasing your businesses values, story and team. Last year showed us that 52% of customers bought from brands they trust and while this data applies to product driven businesses, it's still worth noting for services! So be sure to leverage your About Us page to foster a sense of community and set you apart from the competition. 

Call to Actions (CTAs)

Call to actions are essential in driving action on your website, whether thats an enquiry, purchase, call or email. Whatever action you want your customers to take, make it clear and easy with well placed call to actions throughout your site. 

Contact Us Page

Don't miss out on opportunities to connect with potential customers! While they might not be ready to make a purchase or request a quote, they may still want to get in touch. Not to mention, existing customers might be looking for ways to contact you - make it easy for all parties with a dedicated contact us page with the relevant details. 

Want more tips and tricks on how to attract your customers? Check out our other blogs here.