How to create a business-focused website in 6 steps

Regardless of how you use your WordPress site, it’s important to get people interested in your content. At first this may seem daunting, especially if you’re comparing your site to those you consider a higher-quality.

However, via a few clever tips and tricks, you’ll soon be well on your way to attracting more traffic, as well as boosting your overall conversion rate. This approach to running your site isn’t just for those who use WordPress to generate income – it’s a great way to enhance a site of any kind.

In this post, we’ll talk you through six easy steps to get your business-focused website underway. Let’s get started!

The benefits of adopting a business-focused approach to your website

In general, a business-focused approach simply means focusing on goals related to improving your business, rather than any other aspect. Applying this mindset to your website can have a positive impact in a number of ways:

Higher conversion rate. Applying a business-focused approach to your website means paying more attention to user behaviour, then using the information to your advantage. Utilised correctly, this will mean a greater ratio of site visitors becoming customers.
Increased business credibility. If your online presence is business-focused, you’re more likely to impart a reputation of someone with authority in their industry. This can be achieved in myriad ways, although a business-focused website is a good place to start.
Expanding your market. A strong website, and the credibility it brings, will also enable you to expand your current market. Becoming a reliable source of information and quality will attract new visitors.

The benefits to creating a business-focused website are manifold, and fortunately it’s relatively simple to achieve by considering a few key features.

How to create your business-focused website in 6 steps

In this section, we’ll go over the steps to creating your website. Before you begin, you should already have a WordPress site. If you don't, you can use GoDaddy to get started with WordPress quickly and easily.

Step 1. Check whether your primary domain name is on-brand and has focus

In a nutshell, your domain is central to your public perception. It’s really important to make sure your primary domain is on-brand. An unprofessional or generic domain could potentially turn away customers.

In contrast, picking the right domain name can add credibility and attract business. It also reinforces your brand, making it easier for customers to remember you, and consequently return to your site.

There are several elements to consider when coming up with a domain name – for example, including relevant keywords.

As you can imagine, this will help visitors ascertain what you do. You should also try to make your domain relatively short and easy to type – vital for making your website ‘stick’ in the minds of potential customers.

Step 2. Make sure the essential elements your customers need are present and correct

When visitors navigate to your website, they’re going to be looking for several elements present on your competitor’s pages. Aspects such as an About page and product or service descriptions lets visitors know who or what they are dealing with, and ultimately increases their trust.

You should also include a form of social proof on your site such as reviews or links to your social media platforms. Potential visitors are more likely to convert if they know others are leaving positive reviews whilst doing so.

Finally, an oft-mentioned element is an on-site blog. It’s a great marketing tool, which gives your company a relatable voice, a place for you to share advice, and a platform to directly interact with readers.

Step 3. Ascertain whether your site does a good job of pushing visitors through your sales funnel

The primary goal of having a sales funnel is to control the movement and conversion of potential customers. It (in part) pushes visitors through different stages of your website until they reach the point of purchase. As such, it’s important to assess whether yours fulfills its purpose.

Carving a direct path for your visitors means they are more likely to discover the products and services that will give them the greatest benefit. This means they’ll be satisfied with both the experience they have, and the purchase itself.

One of the most common mistakes in a sites sales funnel is including too many steps to conversion, and this could cause visitors to fall out of the funnel early.

As such, you’ll want to use strong landing pages to help direct traffic. Use a direct Call To Action (CTA) that leads the visitor to a desired point. Often, people will visit your site with a desired purchase in mind, and it’s your job to give it to them.

Step 4. Give the visitor an easy way to convert and/or contact you

The ability to contact you is obviously essential, whether through email or other relevant channels. It’s sometimes overlooked, but a general-purpose contact page is an incredibly valuable tool for both you and your visitors.

When implemented correctly, a contact page should include all of your contact information plus additional touch points such as social media links, to make it easier for your visitors to connect.

Many sites include a contact form, which lets visitors ask direct questions about any element of your business. For WordPress users, adding one to your site is easy when using a dedicated plugin. Many are free, yet provide a robust and secure solution for conversing with visitors.

Step 5. Make sure the structure and layout of your header is clear and understandable

Your website shouldn’t just be easy to navigate – it should also be well designed. This isn’t just for aesthetics. The way you present you site can potentially have a big impact on your sales.

Overall, your site’s header should be clear, simple, and ideally contain links to your most important pages. What’s more, you’ll want to assess whether navigation links, a relevant CTA, contact information, social media links, and more are present. The goal is to give the visitor everything relevant to their decision-making process.

Whilst there are a number of different structures and layouts you can use for your header, the various designs all have the same foundations. A header should always include two building blocks – a unique business identifier and navigation. You could expand on this with a search bar.

This will let your visitors instantly establish who you are and what you do, then enable them to navigate freely around your site.

Step 6. Maximise your page layout to its full potential

The layout of your entire website is also crucial, and isn’t simply about creating a clear purchase path. For example, User Interface (UI) patterns can have a huge impact on the way people view your site.

These are specifically designed to address certain needs for your visitors, such as how they can input data, how they receive feedback, and more. They enable you to design an optimal navigational flow, which helps visitors get to the correct destination.

When considering page layout, the ‘above the fold’ concept has been around for years, yet its importance has been debated. This refers to prominently placing more important content at the top of the page, where visitors are more likely to see it.

In this instance, placing important content and CTAs above the fold is not always necessary. However, it can be a powerful asset if you have a particular service or product you would like to draw attention to.

Conclusion

It’s becoming more and more difficult to get your website noticed. Whilst your WordPress website may be for entirely personal use, getting into a business mindset can be a step towards success. This lets you focus on a set goal, and maintain achievable results.

In this post, we’ve talked you through six things to consider when creating your business-focused website. Let’s recap them: