One of the earlier chapters in our free WordPress guide encourages readers to prepare content ideas before launching a website. Content should always be unique to a website, yet there are a few essential WordPress pages that any new site owner should consider.
We’ll introduce all four page types and offer some best practices for each. Take note of any pages or elements that your site is missing and look for a way to incorporate them during your next round of website additions.
Homepage
Probably the most obvious inclusion on our list, the homepage serves as a quick introduction to you or your company. It should include large, high-quality images and a headline that clearly explains what your site is all about.
Be sure to place calls to action on your homepage as well. Calls to action are prominent links that direct your visitors to your most important content. For instance, a call to action in the form of a “Request a Quote” button might direct visitors to your contact page where they can send a price request.
About Page
As customers, we’re better able to connect with a company when we know a little of its backstory. And when we can connect with a business and its staff, we’re more likely to buy from them.
Your about page should include your company’s backstory. Provide some insight into the founding of the company in addition to a staff listing complete with names and photographs.
Individuals should be leveraging about pages as well. In this context, a site owner could use his about page to introduce himself and to describe what it is that drives him. Again, be sure to include a photograph of yourself!
Contact Page
Hopefully you’re including contact information on your website if you’ve already launched one. Without it, how will customers reach out to you when they’re ready to hire you or to buy your products?
Our WordPress guide includes screenshots and instructions that guide readers through the process of creating a simple contact page. As a company, you should be providing customers with your address, your phone number, and your hours of operation at the very least.
Individuals should be more careful with the contact information they publish to their website. Addresses and phone numbers will be made public immediately, so consider replacing these items with a contact form if you’re running a personal website.
We recommend the free Contact Form 7 plugin for site owners looking to build simple contact forms. You’ll find that many of your visitors will prefer to send quick questions and feedback with a contact form.
Offerings Page
The last of our four essential WordPress pages will look very different depending on the type of website you maintain. Your offerings page will usually list the products or services that you or your company offers, but not always.
If you’re running a recipe website, then your offerings page should list all of your recipes, in which case the page should probably be replaced with your blog. Restaurants, on the other hand, might place a food and drink menu here. Don’t forget to substitute the “offerings” page title with “products,” “food,” or whatever term applies to your site.
If you are listing products or services, consider including images with each entry if it is reasonable to do so. After listing your products or services, provide a call to action button near the bottom of your page. Direct it to your website’s contact page so that readers can quickly call or email with questions about your offerings.
More Essential Elements
Together, these essential website pages should answer many of the most common questions you receive while still inviting customers to contact you or your company. The tips above can be used to craft new pages that your site is currently missing, but ultimately customer feedback and your own mission will shape your website.
With the recommended WordPress pages in place, make sure your website’s navigation menu offers quick access to all of them. And don’t forget to include attractive calls to action beneath any blocks of content that might prompt a visitor to reach out. Doing so can turn more of your visitors into customers or subscribers.
Interested in building pages like those in the screenshots we’ve included above? The Divi theme and page builder – with which we are affiliated – was used to create them all.