When creating a website, the contact page is often found at the bottom of the totem pole regarding importance.

Though it may not look like much or have the pizazz of a homepage, it should be given as much attention.

Why?

A contact page is a vital source of information that can convert a visitor into a new customer. It can also be a foundation to begin building a trusting relationship.

Yet all too often, the power it can wield is underestimated and treated as an afterthought.

Essentials to Include on Your Contact Page

While not every company is going to have the same amount of external pages, links, or additional information, there are a few essentials that should be included on their contact page:

Phone Number

Although this may seem quite obvious, you want to ensure the contact number you provide is set up as a tap-to-call button. This will make it easy for anyone on a mobile device to instantly get in touch with you.

Address

Nowadays, consumers get wary if a business is vague regarding its location. With so many scams floating around and businesses masquerading as local (when they are, in fact, not), leaving the consumer with little to no indication of your whereabouts is a quick way to lose a potential sale, lead, or customer. You want to build a foundation of trust with your audience, and withholding information is a surefire for that foundation to never get built.

Map

Including a map on your contact page makes it visually appealing and incredibly useful for those visiting you directly. You can utilize Google Maps to allow your client or consumer a straightforward process to plan their route. Maps also offer reassurance that you are where you say you are, which adds to the trust factor.

Contact Form

A contact form is pretty standard, but again, it’s reassuring the visitor that their query or question is going to the right place. If you don’t have a contact form available, the absolute minimum you should provide is a linked email address they can click on to reach you.

Link to FAQ Page

Including a link to your Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page will allow the visitor a self-serve option to answer any questions or concerns they may have. We live in the age of instant gratification, and that’s what people want access to. This can also reduce the time your employees spend dealing with customer service questions and the associated costs. Your FAQ page is open 24/7, whereas most customer service departments are not.

Social Media Details

Creating links to each social media platform will allow your visitor additional options to discover more about you, your product, and/or services. It is another avenue they can utilize to find reviews and testimonials, which often factor into their purchasing decisions.

You could also enable Direct Messaging on your contact page as a secondary form of communication. This would aid in answering questions or solving problems quickly, as opposed to sifting through a revolving pile of ticket numbers or emails.

The Connection Between Your Contact Page and Conversion Rates

Normally, you have a consumer’s attention for about 10 to 15 seconds when they land on your page. Within that time frame, they will decide whether to continue their search on your site or flip back to Google and explore other options.

That being said, not having a clearly marked Contact Us or Contact Page link on your homepage is one of the fastest ways to lose a conversion.

And if you happen to incorporate a contact form, it has been shown that by limiting it to 3 main fields (name, email address, and message), conversion rates improved by up to 50%!

You might also consider placing your phone number or email address in plain view at the bottom of each page or the “Contact Us” link itself.

The more visibility you bring to how a consumer might contact you, the more apt they are to do so. If they have to dig for this information, they will be more likely to explore a different avenue or business to meet their needs.

Needless to say, neglecting to include a well-constructed contact page on your website could be a costly mistake. Not only does it provide valuable information to the consumer, but it can also be a means to begin building a trusting relationship and provide you with an additional resource to help increase conversion rates.

And what business isn’t looking for a simplistic and cost-saving way to do that?