This post (along with other posts and pages on this site) may include affiliate links. If you make a purchase from an affiliate link, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

Congratulations! You've picked a URL and hosting for your website. You've picked a platform (like WordPress or Squarespace), a theme, and set up your website. You've got a logo and some images, and your first few blog posts. You may even have a contact page and links to your social media accounts.

Here are a few things every website needs that you may not have thought of yet:

1. Privacy Policy:

   If you're collecting information from your users, whether it's to subscribe to your email newsletter, request a quote, or download a sample chapter of your latest book, then you are legally required to have a Privacy Policy. There are several services that can help you generate a privacy policy, including freeprivacypolicy.com and TermsFeed Privacy Policy Generator. You may also work directly with a lawyer to craft your privacy policy. Add a link to your privacy policy in your footer, so that it appears on every page of your website.

2. Terms and Conditions:

   Terms and Conditions are the rules for using your website. They limit your liability if a website visitor or user decides to take you to court, and protects your rights to the content of your website. Unlike the Privacy Policy, you're not legally required to have Terms & Conditions, but it does help give your customers confidence in working with you. TermsFeed also offers a Terms and Conditions generator, or you can work directly with a lawyer to craft a unique document for your business. Just like your Privacy Policy, you should link to your terms and conditions in your website footer.

3. Google Analytics: 

   If you're serious about growing your business online, then you need Google Analytics on your website. With Google Analytics, you can learn about who is coming to your site (where they're from, age groups, technology, etc), how they're getting there (organic search, social media, referral links), and what they're doing while they're there (page flows, bounce rates, etc.) Google Analytics is free. In most cases, you can add it to your site in less than 5 minutes.

4. Sitemap:

   While a sitemap doesn't seem like it adds much value, they're still important for search engines. SEMRush has a great listing of tools you can use to generate a Sitemap, and how to submit it to Google and Bing webmaster tools. If your website is built on WordPress, and you're using Yoast for SEO, they also have a sitemap generator tool.

5. A Mobile Version: 

   Virtually everyone has a computer in their pocket these days. We use them to keep in touch with friends, family, and our businesses. They're also the first tools we pull out when we have a question. Websites that are responsive (that just means they adjust well to mobile devices as well as desktops) rank higher in search engine results.

6. Bonus Reminder – CONTACT INFORMATION:

   It may seem like a no-brainer, but make sure you have contact information on your website. I've actually visited websites that I loved, but couldn't find a way to get in touch with the site owner. A simple contact form will do. If you're a brick and mortar business, be sure to put your full business address (including city and state.)

There's one more “big little thing” that's really important for every business website. I've mentioned it in a couple of the items above. Can you guess what it is?

SEO.

You don't have to be an SEO guru, but you do need to be doing the basics, like Title tags, alt tags on your images, and meta descriptions for your pages.

What are the “big little things” that your website needed? Let me know in the comments!

Get the 1-Page Marketing Plan & Weekly Marketing Tips!

Grab the printable version of the Minimum Viable Marketing Plan 1-Page Marketing Plan my clients use to ensure they're focused on what matters most. PLUS, get access to the full Minimum Viable Marketing resource library and the weekly newsletter with expert insights, including trends in marketing, business and productivity today.

PS. I hate SPAM even more than you do. (Not even the bacon SPAM is tempting.) Your email address will never be sold or shared with a third party.