When building a website for your service-based business, there needs to be a rhyme and rhythm to your layout and structure. Certain elements will improve lead generation and convert customers, while others will only push potential customers in the opposite direction.

To maximize your results, be sure to include these five elements:

1. Calls-to-Action

cta increase conversion
Calls-to-action are critical when building any type of business website. The goal of your homepage is to persuade visitors to look deeper into your website and move further down the sales funnel.

But you need to guide your visitors in the right direction. Calls-to-action, or CTAs, help you achieve this.

HubSpot recommends having 2-3 CTAs above the fold that direct your visitors to different stages of the funnel.

Take a look at the website for Absolute Plumbing and Drain. The company has a CTA (“Schedule Your Appointment”) right at the top of the page in the header. If someone is in dire need of a plumber or has done business with the company in the past, this CTA – which is high up on the page – makes it easy to jump right in and make an appointment. The company has several other CTAs on their homepage that direct visitors to schedule an appointment.

2. Easy Navigation

Every website needs a navigation bar. Make sure that yours is easy to find on both desktop and mobile versions of your website.

If you haven’t done so already, make sure that your site is mobile-friendly.

Make sure that visitors can easily find what they need when visiting your website. Don’t forget to include a search bar.

3. Social Proof

client feedback social proof
Consumers won’t do business with a company they don’t trust. Social proof helps build trust by providing proof of your results. Add a few of your best short quotes on your homepage. If you have any case studies, link to these as well.

Customer testimonials can be powerful in convincing visitors to buy or contact you for more information. Adding a photo to your testimonials, with permission, adds more credibility.

4. The Promise

When visitors land on your homepage, they need to know what you’re offering; your promise. The promise headline at the top of your home page (above the fold) lets the visitor know that you understand their challenges and are there to help.

The goal is to make a promise that will solve the visitor’s problems.

5. Features and Resources

You’ve made a promise. Now you have to demonstrate how you’ll live deliver on those promises. Outlining and explaining – briefly – the features of your service will help visitors understand what they should choose you over the competition.

elements every service website should have

Make sure that the copy is light and very easy to read. Visitors should understand what you’re offering and how it can benefit them.

You won’t be able to convince every visitor to buy, so make sure that you link to a resources page, e.g. a blog, that educates them further. Blogs are a simple way to educate visitors, but they also help establish credibility and allow you to generate more search traffic.