What pages should my website have? After choosing a domain and buying hosting, this is the next question online entrepreneurs and small business owners ask when they are developing their website.
Keep reading to learn which website pages you need and which ones you don’t.
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[astra_custom_layout id=2226] When it comes to content creation for a newly created website, every business is unique and needs something different. However, there is a set of pages that all websites should have because visitors (your potential customers) expect to see them. Some businesses may not need every single page–if you don’t sell products, you won’t have a products page, for example. But for anyone who does, a products page is an expectation. Must-have website pages include:
- Homepage
- About page
- Services page
- Products page
- FAQ page
- Testimonials/reviews page
- Contact page
- Blog
- Press/latest news page
- Privacy policy page
- Terms and conditions page
- Sitemap
- “Page not found” page
- Search result page
- Jobs or careers page
- Events page
- Advertising information page
- Affiliate link disclosure page
You can click on the one you’re interested in learning about or keep scrolling to learn more about them all.
1. Homepage
This is the page most people will see first, and as such, it should tell everyone who you are and what your company does. The content on your homepage should be intriguing enough to capture the attention of your visitors within seconds. Your homepage needs to be well-designed, load fast and look professional. There are studies that show that you have 0.05 seconds to convince people stay on your website.
What to include:
- Short description of who you are and what you do
- Brief explanation of your services and products
- How you can help potential customers
Read more:
2. About page
People do business with other people, and visitors want to learn a bit more about who the people are behind the company. The about page is often one of the most visited page on any website. This page should give a brief summary of who you are, your company history and what isolates you from the competition.
What to include:
- A summary of your company
- Who your company employ
- Biography and pictures of key staff
- Any special achievements you’ve received
- Ways you differ from others that provide the same product or service
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3. Services page
Here you can list details about the services you provide. Begin the page with a summary of your services prior to outlining them. If your services are vast and their descriptions are quite extensive, consider dividing them into sections, as well as adding a link to a landing page, where readers can learn more about a particular service.
What to include:
- Synopsis of services presented
- Bullet points of services with short explanations
- Links to learn more about specialized services
- Advantages of using your services
- How your services differ from the competition
4. Products page
This is your chance to offer details about the products you sell. Begin the page with a short summary of your products before listing them. If you sell multiple products and have extensive information on each product, consider dividing them into categories and adding a link to their product pages.
What to include:
- Outline of products available
- Short descriptions of each product
- Links to product pages that contain more information
- What the customer can expect by purchasing those products
- Why customers should buy those products from you, rather than your competition
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5. FAQ page
The FAQ page is your space to answer the most frequent questions you are asked. The frequently asked questions (FAQ) page will tell everyone – on one page – what they need to know. This will save you time answering those same questions on an individual basis. Provide honest answers for each one. Your answers should be a call to action, and persuade a potential customer to take the next step and buy whatever you’re selling.
What to include:
- Most common questions you are most frequently
- Remove any doubts a customer may have, in order to make them feel secure enough to make a purchase from you
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6. Testimonials / reviews page
This is your chance to show off positive reviews your company has received. Where possible, include photos and contact info of the author (a link their social media account, not their personal phone number). This will add authenticity to each testimonial. Anyone can write a review, but those with photos of real people that can be traced to an actual source credibility and establishes trust.
What to include:
- A brief paragraph of praise from customers
- Include photos and contact info of the reviewer
- A headline above each testimonial to catch a customer’s eye
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7. Contact page
Your contact page show potential customers all the ways they can get in touch with you. It is also important to have your phone number, email address and physical mailing address on the footer throughout all of your website pages, where possible. If you need to create a custom email address, our guide will show you how.
What to include:
- All of your social media accounts
- Your mailing address
- Phone and fax number
- Email address
- Business hours
- Contact form (instead of email address for spam prevention)
Read more:
8. Blog page
This isn’t a page per say, as a blog is the sum of all blog posts. A blog is a website, or a section of a website, made up of topically related blog posts (like journal entries). Blog posts are usually listed in reverse chronological order with the most recent blog post appearing first. If you have a small business website without a blog then you are seriously missing out! Think of your blog as your greatest and most affordable marketing tool. A blog drives traffic and leads/sales. A survey by HubSpot found that 57% of businesses who blog have generated a lead from it. A blog gives your company a voice, it creates a place where you can tell your company’s story, share your expertise and engage with your customers. First and foremost you need to do a bit of strategy work, you need to know why you are starting a blog and who you are blogging for (your target audience). Next you need to map out what your blog should be about, i.e. what your should write about and the topics to cover. Think of how you write and the language you use, most of us don’t like to read academic journals so don’t be afraid to be conversational and casual in the way you write. Quality trumps quantity. Studies suggest that long-form and in-depth blog posts outperform shorter shallow blog posts, when it comes to search engine optimization and getting shared on social media.
What to include:
- Blog categories based on topics and audiences
- Different types of posts (lists, guides, reviews, etc.)
- Author bios
Read more:
9. Press / latest news page
This is where you can address the media. Here, you should post links to articles written about your business, press releases, advertisements, videos featured on other platforms, and any other recognizable commercial accomplishments.
What to include:
- Ways the media can get in touch with you
- Links to download PDFs and photos, and press releases
- Media or press kits
Read more:
10. Privacy policy
A privacy policy is must for every website, a privacy policy lets the visitor to your website know what you’ll do with the personal information they give you. On this page, let the site visitor know how any personal information and data (e.g. advertising, cookies, emails, etc.) collected will be used, and whether or not it will be shared with third parties. You must strictly adhere to your privacy policy.
What to include:
- What data you collect
- How data is collected
- How visitors can obtain a copy of the information you collect
- If data is shared and who it’s shared with
Read more:
11. Terms and conditions
Similar to the above mentioned privacy policy, a terms of conditions page is usually a must for most websites. This is a page the outlines the “rules” a visitor to your site must agree to abide by in order to use your website.
What to include:
- Rules and guidelines and how your website functions
- Which country’s laws that governs the agreement
- An intellectual property disclosure that states that your website is your property and that it’s protected by copyright laws
- Links to other sites clause that you are not responsible for or have control over third party links on your website
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12. Sitemap
Sitemaps come in two formats. XML sitemaps (these are made for search engine bots, helps search engines discover your content and is good to have from an SEO standpoint). HTML sitemaps are made for your “human” visitors (and what we refer to here.) A sitemap page is a non-fancy index page that lists all the web pages you have on your website. If you use WordPress then there are plenty of plugins that can help you build an HTML sitemap.
What to include:
- Links to all of your web pages and blog posts
- Added in the footer throughout all of your website pages
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13. “Page not found”
A page not found page (technically speaking it’s called a “404 error” page) is a page your visitors get directed to when a webpage no longer exists, have moved or has expired. Because a 404 error page can be a standard HTML page, you can (and should) customize it any way you want.
What to include:
- Header and description that clearly tells visitors the page they’re looking for cannot be found
- Link back to your homepage
- Search form
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14. Search result page
As the name implies, a search result page displays all of the relevant items of a particular search on your site. This only applies to websites with a search bar or search page, which could include anything from ecommerce products to blog posts or employees.
What to include:
- Dynamic settings so it can adjust accordingly based on the search
- Different filters (such as size, color, or gender for an online store)
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15. Jobs or careers page
Use your jobs and careers page to passively recruit top-level talent. Someone can land on your site and navigate to this page to learn more about what you offer as an employer and help you stand out from other organizations in your industry.
What to include:
- Open job positions
- Candidate qualifications
- Link to apply for open job
- Information about your company culture
- Employee benefits
16. Events page
True to the name, an events page should showcase any upcoming events that your company is hosting or sponsoring. Think beyond trade shows and exhibits here. You could also use it to promote upcoming webinars, with a link to sign up for any virtual event.
What to include:
- List of all events
- Date, time, and location of each event
- Registration links
- Registration fees and deadlines
- Other pertinent details (like directions, hotel group codes, etc.)
- Link to a dedicated page for each event
17. Advertising information page
If you display ads on your website, you can use this page as a way to attract advertisers. “Advertise With Us” is a common name for this page, and it offers a direct channel of communication between your brand and ad partners without going through a third-party network.
What to include:
- Explanation of how your advertising program works
- What types of businesses you typically work with
- Some type of form for interested parties to submit if they qualify
18. Affiliate link disclosure page
An affiliate link disclosure page informs website visitors about your relationship with companies that you’re promoting on your site. In most circumstances, this is a legal requirement if you have affiliate partnerships. Make this page as long or short as you want. You could even add an explanation that the revenue earned is how your site stays afloat and is able to provide free information.
What to include:
- A clear statement that you may earn compensation for displaying a brand or product on your website
- Explain that clicking a link on your site may result in a commission for you
Summary
Purchasing a domain name and web hosting is only the first step to creating your website. Making sure your site meets visitor expectations is crucial to building trust, gaining authority, and creating a reputable brand. Haven’t yet created your website? Check out our WordPress guide to get started.