Hey everyone! I'm back with another post to help make your website shine. Today i'll be writing about the key pages you need to include on your site.
When I first built my website, I had no clue where to start. I just threw up a home page and figured that was enough! Boy was I wrong. I couldn't get an ad approval, This site sucked in SEO, accessibility, and providing a good user experience.
After doing more research and seeing what other successful sites included, I realized there were a few must-have pages that every website should have.
In this post, I'll walk through the pages that are absolutely essential, as well as some additional ones to consider.
My goal is to make sure your site has all the right foundations covered so you can focus on creating Killer content.
Getting these core pages made will give your site more structure and authority right off the bat.
So let's dive in!
Must-Have Pages for Every Website
As a website owner, there are a few pages you absolutely must have to provide a good user experience.
Home Page
Your home page is the first thing visitors see, so make a good first impression! Keep it simple but visually compelling, with a brief message about what you offer and some eye- catching images.
Also have clear calls-to- action to guide people into your site.
Your homepage could the site direct domain url or in another specific location like /home or /index slug.
About Page
This page introduces you and your business. It tells visitors who you are, what you do, and why you do it. It helps build trust and credibility.
On this page you can share your story, purpose and values to help visitors understand what you do and why they should trust you.
Keep the tone friendly and approachable. You may Include photos of yourself and your team.
An About page has no format; just be free in telling us about yourself or brand.
Legal Page(s)
The legal page might not look like a big deal but it a formality you have to put in place as long as you want your website online to be seen as credible.
You can have a single legal page or menu that will link to any of the pages below. They are the main deal of a legal page
Terms and Conditions:
This outlines the rules and guidelines for using your site.
Disclosure and Disclaimer Page
This page informs visitors about any affiliations, partnership, sponsorships, or financial interests related to your content.
It also includes disclaimers to limit liability for the information provided. Use this page to manage expectations and build trust with your audience.
Privacy Policy:
Privacy policy explains how you collect, use, and protect user data.
Cookie Notice:
This page should give details your use of cookies and tracking technologies.
Affiliate Disclosure:
An affiliate disclosure page is required if you earn commissions from affiliate links.
Services or Products Page
No matter what industry you're in, you need a page to showcase what you offer.
A service or product page is essential if your business sells anything or provide any professional service.
If you sell, you should explain exactly what you're selling in detail here. And for services, describe what's included in each package.
If required, provide images, specs, sizes, prices, and uses. Also, you should make sure it is easy for visitors to compare options.
You can as well offer recommendations based on customer needs.
Contact Page
Don't make people hunt for your phone number or email. Provide all contact details prominently on your contact page including your business address, phone, email, social media links, and contact form.
Offer multiple ways for visitors to reach you and make sure to respond promptly to all inquiries.
Sitemap or Index or Archive Page
This is a page that will list all of the posts and activities of your site.
A sitemap page helps users and search engines navigate your site easily. A well-organized sitemap improves SEO. When Robots crawling your site for search engine index come across your sitemap page, it would be easier to crawl all links listed there at once.
These are the essential pages to have a solid foundation for an effective personal brand or business website.
A legal page, about page, service / product page and a contact page is also a factor for ad approval and is crucial for SEO, accessibility, and providing a good user experience and a credible back-bone for your site.
You can use any generator tool to generate contents that will fill the pages if you don't have a lawyer. I recommend getting a legal practitioner to help in writing the legal page which include terms and conditions, and policies.
Keep optimizing and improving to better serve your visitors over time. Consistently creating value for others is key to successful website. ~ Indeed
Additional Pages to Consider Based on Your Website Type
These are some other pages you can have on your site
Blog page
Blog is a must for most websites today. It gives you an opportunity to share knowledge, build authority, and keep people coming back to your site.
Your blog could aim for 2-3 posts per week on topics related to your business and industry.
If you run a blog run a blog already, you could have a separate blog page that shows an index of your blog posts.
The page can be located on a yoursite.tld/blog slug or even a blog.yoursite.tld subdomain
Other Legal Pages you can have
Terms of Use
Having a Terms of Use page is crucial for any website that engages with users, collects data, or offers services and products. It helps mitigate legal risks and sets clear expectations for all parties involved.
The Terms of Use page outlines the rules and guidelines for using your website. It sets the legal boundaries for user interactions and protects your content.
Terms of Service
The Terms of Service (ToS) is a legal document that outlines the rules, responsibilities, and expectations for users accessing and using your website or online service.
Return Policy
A Return Policy outlines rules for returning purchased items, including conditions, timelines, and procedures for refunds or exchanges.
E-commerce sites and online retailers need a Return Policy to inform customers about their rights regarding product returns and to manage expectations regarding refunds and exchanges.
Comment Policy
A Comment Policy sets guidelines for user comments on your website, covering acceptable behavior, moderation procedures, and consequences for violations.
It's essential for blogs, forums, and social media platforms to maintain a positive and respectful online community while protecting against spam or inappropriate content.
Profile or Author(s) Page
A Profile or Author Page introduces the people behind the content, providing readers with background information and building trust.
It's essential for personal blogs, multi-author sites, and professional portfolios. Even though, mosts website include author info in their about page.
Portfolio Page
A Portfolio Page showcases examples of your work, projects, or achievements to potential clients or employers. It typically includes descriptions, images, and links to demonstrate your skills and expertise in a visually appealing way.
This page is essential for freelancers, creatives, and professionals looking to showcase their work and attract new opportunities.
On your portfolio page you can also showcase your skills, experience, and testimonials.
Skills Page
A Skills Page highlights your expertise, qualifications, and capabilities in specific areas. It provides an overview of your skills, certifications, and proficiencies, helping visitors understand your strengths and qualifications.
Useful for freelancers, professionals, and job seekers to demonstrate their skill set to potential clients or employers.
Now Page
The Now page was initiated by Derek Sivers and has long been adopted by many personal websites.
You can use a Now page to share what you are currently focused on, giving a personal touch and keeping your audience updated.
If you don't use social media for updates, use a now page.
Timeline
A Timeline Page displays significant milestones, events, or updates related to your project, business, or personal journey in chronological order.
It provides visitors with a clear understanding of your progress, achievements, and evolution over time. Ideal for showcasing progress, history, or important events related to your brand or organization.
Credits Page
The credit page is to acknowledge contributions from others, such as photographers, designers, or collaborators.
You can use a credit page to give attribution to any contribution or media or any other kind of resources used on your site.
Glossary Page
Defines terms and jargon used on your site, useful for niche industries.
When you have a glossary page you won't need to keep explaining terms in every post. You can just make reference to this page.
Partners or Sponsors page
A Partner or Sponsors Page acknowledges and highlights businesses, organizations, or individuals who support or collaborate with your Venture.
It showcases partnerships, sponsorships, or collaborations, providing recognition and building credibility. Useful for businesses, events, or projects looking to showcase their supporters and attract potential partners.
Testimonials or Reviews
A Testimonials or Reviews Page features feedback and reviews from satisfied clients or customers, showcasing positive experiences with your products or services.
It helps build trust and credibility by highlighting real-life experiences and recommendations. Essential for businesses, creators or freelancers to demonstrate social proof and attract new customers.
Changelog or Site-log page
A Changelog or Sitelog Page documents updates, changes, or improvements made to your website or project over time.
It provides transparency to users about recent changes, bug fixes, and feature additions.
Useful for software platforms, apps, or websites to keep users informed and engaged with ongoing developments.
Help or Support Page
A Help or Support Page offers assistance, resources, and guidance to users who need help navigating your website or using your products/services.
It provides FAQs, tutorials, contact information, and troubleshooting tips to address common issues. Essential for providing excellent customer support and ensuring a positive user experience.
FAQ Page
An FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Page addresses common queries users may have about your product, service, or website.
It provides concise answers to frequently asked questions to help users find information quickly and easily.
This page will help in reducing support inquiries and providing clarity to your audience.
Hope You Found this Post Useful
With a few additional pages beyond the basics, you can turn your simple website into a real digital hub for showcasing yourself or business.
The key is determining what pages will benefit your visitors the most based on your industry and audience.
Keep in mind that you do not have to have all the pages. just make your your pages are what your site really needs.
I know it can feel overwhelming to get all of these set up properly, but take it one step at a time.
Start with just your home, about, and contact pages. Once you have those core pages published, you can build out from there.
Alright, time for me to take my own advice and start working on my site.
Examples - Live Pages
For examples, here are some of the pages on this site
Thanks for reading!
Happy Whatever π€
