Hardly anyone would disagree with the notion that a business is nothing without marketing. Years ago, marketing consisted of word of mouth and signs in the window. It evolved to ads in newspapers and magazines, as well as mail order catalogues.
Today, one of the most crucial marketing tools for online businesses is the well-designed website. However, your website and your other digital marketing efforts are worth almost nothing if you lack an effective contact page, which is a vital and too often undervalued part of a website.
In a brick-and-mortar environment, you’ll typically have employees on duty who can answer questions and attend to customers, but websites can’t manage quite the same direct and personal touch. Are your customers able to contact you swiftly and with ease?
Here are seven essential components you should have on your “contact us” page.
- Design
As the Internet has become a fixture of our daily lives, consumers have come to expect all the answers to be instantly at their fingertips. Obviously, the answer to every question won’t fit on a single site, but you can provide a direct link to your company personnel through a well-designed contact page.
The primary goal of the page should be to invite engagement, which isn’t necessarily guaranteed with only words on a white background. Consider the inclusion of photos, such as in this contact page.
After you’ve managed to draw the customer’s eye with fetching graphics, use detail to call the user to action. You might present a commonly asked question or counsel users on what to do after they’ve ingested the information on the rest of the page, like what we see on this website contact page.
Easy contact is essential to company operations, as well, so make it simple to get access your contact page. A convention of good web design calls for placement of the contact link in the top navigation bar, but it’s smart to put a second contact link in the footer, as well.
That way, consumers can get to your contact page no matter where they are.
- Updated Information
An outdated contact page is virtually useless. Too many website owners upload their contact information at the start of their firm, but don’t update it as details change.
Take a few minutes to go through your contact page right now and make sure the phone numbers, email addresses, street addresses, and other contact information are all correct. While you’re at it, test all the links on the page to make sure they aren’t broken.
- Address (Where Applicable)
Given the staggering number of online businesses being launched these days, not all firms have a physical address. This is becoming the norm for many online businesses.
However, an updated mailing address is essential if you expect to handle transactions through the mail. Some consumers also believe a physical address raises the credibility of a company. Even if you use your home address, that can be a good move for your reputation.
- Phone numbers
The telephone is still one of the most common methods of communication, especially among online businesses. Many customers want to ask specific questions and get direct answers.
Some online businesses don’t feel a need to provide personal contact information, especially a phone number, but possession of a business line can make potential customers feel more secure.
When you put your phone number on the website, make it mobile friendly. Given today’s mobile technology, consumers want simply to click on a phone number and make the call instantly without having to dial.
- Emails
Email is the standard form of communication for companies everywhere, so there are multiple ways to integrate email into a contact page. Some contact pages have a specific email address that can either be copied and pasted into an email, or clicked on to start a new message.
Others provide a contact form that customers can fill out. The form includes customer name, email address, and room for a note that comes to your email, so you can answer questions without giving out a personal email address.
It’s becoming more common for contact pages have both options, as you’ll see in the contact page here.
- Live Chat
One of the most popular methods of online communication today is live chat, which offers quick answers without having to go through a telephone call or an email. Your live chat option should be grounded on the contact page, but it should also be readily available on any other page, as is the case with this web design.
When this is the case, customers can have their questions answered immediately rather than having to hunt for your contact information.
- FAQ
A link to a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page enables consumers get answers to basic questions without having to make contact. Many shoppers prefer this self-service approach, and this simple page takes a lot of stress off overburdened businesses, because they receive fewer questions they have to answer directly.
Consumers are accustomed to the Internet offering immediate answers, which makes shopping for products and services tremendously convenient. Make it easy on your visitors and update your contact page as soon as possible!