Your website reflects your brand’s personality and helps to promote your products or services. One of your most important assets is your website, which shares information, builds trust, and differentiates you from competitors.
There are numerous website features that every site needs to promote a good user experience and improve SEO, including good design, easy navigation, and relevant content. Take a look at some essential features of an engaging website.
Basic website features
These are the basic features a website should have for functionality and user navigability.
Responsive web design
Responsive web design is an approach to website design in which the design and development responds naturally to the user’s behavior and device based on screen size, orientation, and platform.
This practice combines a mix of grids and layouts, images, and CSS media queries. When the user switches from one device to another, such as a laptop to a mobile device, the responsive website automatically adjusts to accommodate the resolution, scripting abilities, and image size.
It also saves you time, resources, and effort, because you no longer have to maintain different versions of your website.
Responsive web design isn’t limited to single pages but the entire design of your website and your approach. It not only helps with user engagement, but also SEO. If users have a positive experience, they’re more likely to stay on your site longer. In turn, higher user engagement helps search engines see the value in your site for users, which can boost your search rankings.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature helps with SEO.
Navigation elements
Website navigation is an essential part of web design that influences user experience. Users navigate websites by clicking on links that direct them to other pages, whether external or internal.
Navigation elements should be placed on every web page in the header and footer, as well as with menu framework. They should be intuitive to follow, allowing users to find the information they want easily.
Users rely on navigation to browse your site, but it also helps search engines understand, discover, and index new pages. They can understand the context of each page, as well as how pages relate to each other.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature helps with SEO.
Business information
Having a website for your business is the online representation of your brand and helps to build trust with users. The business information you provide shows users that you’re a real, legitimate business. They also want to know that if something goes wrong, they can reach you to rectify it.
Your business information—namely, your business name, address, and phone number (NAP)—should appear on your Contact and About pages. Your About page should also have information about the business owner(s), including the brand story and descriptions of team members.
You should also consider adding your social media links, alternate contact information (such as different addresses and phone numbers per location), and a contact form for users.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature helps with SEO.
Search bar
Search bars are a necessity for your website to help users find what they’re looking for quickly. If they arrive at your site with a goal in mind, the search bar helps them get there without any delays or frustration, which can lead them to look elsewhere.
A search bar also keeps users on your site longer, as counterintuitive as that may sound. Without a search bar, a user may come to a website and leave if they don’t find what they need after a quick glance. If they see and use the search bar, however, they can use it to navigate to the pages of interest.
Ideally, your search bar should be placed on your homepage, but you can put it on every web page on the navigation bar. If you have a lot of pages, product pages, or content, having a search bar on all of these pages ensures a user-friendly experience, giving them a positive impression and improving engagement.
Visual Elements
Visual elements that break up text enhance the user experience on your website. They can be images, graphics, or other design elements that promote a better user experience. Studies show that you have about 50 milliseconds (0.5 seconds) to make a good first impression.
All of your visual elements should communicate your brand, from the colors and fonts to the organization and images. Your brand will guide some of these choices, such as the typography and colors, but otherwise, it’s best to work with a professional graphic designer who has the skills to ensure your site has aesthetic appeal and visual hierarchy to draw users in and enhance the user experience.
Call to actions (CTAs)
Calls to actions serve two purposes on your website: (1) guiding users through your website, and (2) motivating them to complete a desired action, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase.
CTAs are persuasive words, sentences, or phrases like “buy now” or “register today” that encourage users to complete the action immediately to get the benefits. Typically, these are represented with buttons or hyperlinks that stand out against the other design elements.
Every page should have a CTA with an action that the user can take. This website feature encourages users to engage and convert, which is the ultimate goal of driving traffic to your site.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature encourages users to engage.
Testimonials and reviews
Testimonials and reviews build brand trust and social proof. They not only help with engagement, but they also have an effect on SEO. Having testimonials and reviews from real customers provides value to users and shows search engines that you’re a trustworthy and credible business.
These elements should be on your homepage and product or service pages. Each of your products or services should have relevant reviews or testimonials to help users make a purchasing decision, but you may want to have a dedicated page for all testimonials and reviews.
Live chat
Live chat is an important element of your website to assure users that you will provide support when they need it. Your chat should be placed on each page with a button on the bottom right-hand side corner, so when users click on it, the chatbot will display with a CTA, such as “Chat with a live agent” or “Leave us a message.”
In some cases, the chat page opens by default as soon as the page loads, which makes it easier for users to find. Having this website feature encourages users to engage and find out more about what you have to offer.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature encourages users to engage.
Subscription opt-in or newsletter signups
A subscription opt-in or newsletter signup for email marketing is another must-have website feature and marketing tool. You can build an email list to create a dedicated audience for your content, as well as to offer exclusive, quality content to users. Having an opt-in list is more targeted than purchased email lists, since you’re communicating with users who have indicated that they want to hear from you.
Your subscription opt-in or newsletter signup should be placed on the homepage. It can be added to the footer to appear on every page. If your website is content-heavy, you can add the opt-in to content pages as a CTA for users to get content delivered directly to their inboxes.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature encourages users to engage.
Maps
If your business has a local presence, such as a brick-and-mortar location, a map should be added to help users find you easily. You could add it to the about or contact us page.
If you have multiple physical locations, it’s best to have maps in each location page to help users find you. Instead of opening a new browser window, copying the address, and searching in Google Maps themselves, they can simply use the map to get directions quickly.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-light-bulb” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] Pro SEO Tip: Embed a Google map on the page that will target a specific location and offer information about the location of the business to improve local search rankings.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature helps with SEO.
Contact form
A contact form should be on your contact page with all your contact information, including your physical address, phone number, email, fax, and any other way to get in touch. You should also have a contact form that allows users to make inquiries quickly—directly from your website.
You could also include an option to contact specific departments, such as billing or tech support, leave feedback, or activate live chat.
Make sure you have a CAPTCHA or anti-spam functionality for your contact form to prevent bots from submitting spam forms, which can clog up your inbox and skew your customer and lead data.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature encourages users to engage.
Portfolio, gallery, work, or case studies
If your business offers products or services, showcase your services or the final product that’s delivered on your website. Depending on the nature of your business, this may be a gallery, a portfolio, or a page with all of your work.
Another option is case studies, which are evidence-based, in-depth, detailed examinations of a particular case in real-world context. For example, a software development provider may use a case study to demonstrate how the custom-built software solved a pain point for a customer.
FAQ Section
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) have numerous benefits for your site. They help users find the information they need, based on questions your potential customers often ask, and provide a better user experience.
FAQs are a great way to include long-tail keywords and key phrases that can boost your SEO. They also provide internal link-building opportunities, which is an important ranking factor.
You can include general FAQs on your main page or service pages, as well as a dedicated FAQ page. Your website content may also have FAQs related to the specific topic, which appear on the same page.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature helps with SEO.
Internal links
Internal links establish relationships between your content and pages on your site. Search engines can use internal links to understand the structure of your website and establish its hierarchy, or which pages are most important. The more links you have pointing to a page, the more value you’ve assigned to it.
Users also rely on internal links to find related content, such as a product mentioned in your blog post or in-depth topics that branch out from a pillar content piece. In addition, if you have a page with no links pointing to it, both users and Google may not be able to find it (or index it).
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature encourages users to engage.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature helps with SEO.
Social media links
People want to connect with their favorite businesses on social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn to engage in conversation and find out about new products or updates. You should not only have active accounts on the big social media platforms that have your audience, but you should link to them on your website to help users find you on their favorite platforms.
Social media links also improve your business’s online presence and ranking in the search results.
Advanced Website Features
Along with the basic features that all websites should have, there are some “advanced” features to consider. These are not necessary for basic website functionality and user navigation, but they impact the site performance and user experience.
Breadcrumb navigation
Breadcrumb navigation is a method that allows website visitors to keep track of their current spot on a website. Users can see the page they’re currently on and its relation to the pages they already visited, as well as the hierarchy of higher parent pages above the current page.
This not only helps the users understand the website hierarchy and navigate through it seamlessly, but it helps search engines to better understand the website’s hierarchy. These are usually displayed as a horizontal list of website pages separated by a “>” sign.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature helps with SEO.
Blog
Blogs are important for establishing your brand as a thought leader in your industry, providing valuable information to users, increasing SEO performance, and creating shareable social media content that directs users back to your site.
A content marketing provider can help deliver SEO-driven, relevant content for your industry or niche. Virtually every website should have a well-structured blog that contains:
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A blog list page
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A blog page
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A blog search function to find content quickly
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Comments to encourage users to engage
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A table of contents on individual posts to help users find the information they need
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A social media share feature to encourage users to share it on their preferred platform
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Related blog posts
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature helps with SEO.
Accordion Feature
An accordion feature is a type of menu that displays a list of headers stacked on top of each other. When the user clicks on one, these headers reveal or hide related content. This is effective for breaking down complex content into skimable, digestible chunks.
Accordion features are important for positive user experience on desktop sites, but it’s also essential for mobile sites to reduce how much the user has to scroll. Users can control how much they read to have control over the experience.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature encourages users to engage.
UX surveys
UX surveys are a good way to collect feedback from users to understand how much they enjoy the experience of visiting your website. This is usually done using a survey widget that appears on the website asking for feedback.
Having these surveys encourages users to engage with your site and shows that you value their input. It also gives you vital information to continually improve your site to deliver a better experience.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature encourages users to engage.
Content surveys
Content surveys are a great way to determine if your content is delivering for your users. You can use a variety of different surveys, including surveys on your website, blog survey questions, or a poll.
With any of these methods, you will gain valuable information about your audience to improve your content. Plus, conducting surveys encourages users to engage with your site and content. They don’t need to be long or involved; simple surveys work.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature encourages users to engage.
Accessibility features
Accessibility features are necessary to help people with disabilities, such as hearing or visual impairment, have a better user experience. Different CMS have plugins to improve your site’s visibility.
For example, WordPress offers One Click Accessibility, WP ADA Compliance Check Basic, accessWidget by accessiBe, and WP Accessibility. These plugins offer a wide range of functions to ensure your website is accessible to all users.
Aside from plugins, you should also consider accessibility features like:
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High-contrast color combinations that help people with visual impairment or color blindness
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Clear, simple copy that’s easy to read
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Logical heading structure with a simple, clear flow
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Large links, buttons, and controls that are easy to see and click
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Proper image alt attributes for hearing-impaired individuals using screen readers
eCommerce features
eCommerce features create an experience that encourages sales, helps customers find products easily, and enables a seamless experience.
Here are some features to include:
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Product descriptions with details about the product like dimensions and size or color options
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High-quality photos and videos
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Augmented and virtual reality to help customers see the product in real-world context
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A quantity selector to simplify the shopping experience and boost sales
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A color or style selector for product variants
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Product reviews relevant to the product
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Product filters to streamline the shopping experience
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Wishlists for customers to save their favorite products
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A seamless, one-page checkout with sign-in or guest options
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Coupon or discount codes
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Multiple payment options to help users pay with their preferred method
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Order tracking numbers for shipping
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Shipping and return information
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A contact page with multiple contact options (phone, email, chat)
Backend features
Along with the front-facing aspects of your site, you will need some backend features that support your site’s functionality and performance.
Content Management System (CMS)
A content management system is software that helps users create, manage, and modify content on a website seamlessly. Your CMS should have an easy-to-update URL structure and page content to simplify your experience.
WordPress is a highly recommended CMS for most company websites, but there are plenty to choose from. HubSpot CMS Hub is a good choice for larger businesses and marketers that’s fully integrated with sales, service, and operations tools.
Joomla is another popular choice with plenty of extensions and templates. It’s also free, so it’s a good choice for small business websites. Drupal, another open-source CMS platform, is a good option for people with developer capabilities who want a highly customized site.
Reliable Web Hosting
Reliable website hosting is a must if you want a functional site. You should look for web hosting providers that offer free backups, which ensures you have control of your site in the case of a hack, user error, or another disaster.
Here are some top picks:
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HostArmada, which has cheap plans, a free domain, on-demand backups, and offsite backup storage
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KnownHost, which stores two days of daily backups and one weekly backup on shared hosting
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DreamHost, which has shared hosting plans with free backups, a free domain, and free domain privacy
SSL / HTTPS
SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer, is the standard technology for keeping internet connections secure and safeguarding sensitive data. HTTPS, or HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure, appears on the URL when a website is secured by an SSL certificate and provides encrypted communications between a web server and a browser.
Having SSL/HTTPS secures your website to ensure that you can protect important customer data from cyber criminals. If you collect personal information from customers, such as payment information, email addresses, or other identifying information, you need an SSL certificate.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature helps with SEO.
Sitemap
A sitemap is a file that you use to provide information about your site and the relationships between your pages. Google can then read this file to crawl your site and understand which pages and files are most important.
Most sites should have a sitemap, especially if they’re large or have a lot of rich media content. Sitemaps are necessary for new sites or after a redesign as well, especially if there aren’t a lot of external links. Providing a sitemap helps Google discover your pages.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature helps with SEO.
Robots.txt
A robots.txt file tells Google which URLs the crawler can access on the site. This is necessary to keep the site from being overloaded with requests. You can also use it to avoid crawling similar pages or unimportant pages on your website.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature helps with SEO.
Analytics tracking
The Google Analytics Tracking ID, or GA4 measurement ID (formerly known as UA ID with the previous version of Google Analytics, Universal Analytics), is a unique tracking identifier that allows the tool to collect data from a website. In order to connect Google Analytics to your site and generate useful website behavior analytics, you will need to have your Google Analytics Tracking ID.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature helps with SEO.
Page title tags & meta descriptions
Page title tags and meta descriptions have HTML tags that tell search engines what a page is about. These must clearly explain what a page is—with focus keywords if possible—to show Google what you’re trying to rank for.
In addition, title tags and meta descriptions appear before users in the search engine results page. It’s important that they are written for humans, not search engines, and clearly indicate what the page is about to encourage users to click.
[themify_icon icon=”ti-check-box” icon_color=”#ffffff” icon_bg=”#D37728″] This website feature helps with SEO.
Website Features to Avoid
Now that we’ve covered the website features you need, let’s talk about some you should avoid. All of these affect the user experience, loading speed, and search engine optimization.
The main feature to avoid is uploading videos directly to the website, which uploads them directly to the website’s server. Doing so will cost you bandwidth and may slow down your website, hurting your user experience. Instead, upload your video to YouTube or another video-sharing site, then embed it onto your site.
Similarly, you shouldn’t use Adobe Flash. It can hamper your site’s functionality significantly and slows it down, which may frustrate users. There’s also no SEO benefit, as search crawlers can’t interpret what Flash contains. It also presents security issues and can negatively impact mobile responsiveness.
Having music playing in the background on your site also decreases its performance. Having a slow-loading site with background music not only makes the user experience poor; it can act as a distraction that pushes a first time user elsewhere.
Finally, avoid using a click-to-enter landing page. This comes off as suspicious to users, not to mention that the goal is to make the experience as simple and seamless as possible. Forcing users to click to enter an unknown site—and one that’s potentially harmful—is a turnoff.
Website features and functionality are essential for a positive user experience, customer engagement, and SEO
By including a combination of the basic and advanced features described above on your business website, you are establishing a positive user experience and paving the way for increased customer engagement.
Many of the features discussed can also positively impact your website’s SEO, which is imperative to help your site show up in search engine results pages when customers are seeking your products or services.
Whether you’re looking to build a brand-new website or revamp an existing site, connect with a skilled website designer who can help include important website features for your business’ ultimate success.