A recent study found when people were asked what's the most important in a website's design they said "the website makes it easy for me to find what I want." And not just by a little bit either. 76% responded with that answer, while the next most important factor, "looks" was only 10%. So you don't have to have a good looking website, just one that makes it easy for people to find what they're looking for. Looks are important, but it's more important to help people find what they're looking for quickly.
2. A clear call to action.
Once somebody likes what they see on your site the next thing they think is "what do I do next?". Be sure to answer that question for them by having a clear call to action. A clear call to action should be above the fold (means they shouldn't have to scroll to see it), be one of the largest elements on the page, and be surrounded by some white space to make it stand out.
3. A way to collect contact information.
There are millions of sites on the web. Don't expect yours is the one that's going to stand out and be remembered. When people are hunting for new products and services they're unlikely to remember so much as the name of your business much less the address of your website. Give your visitors something of high perceived value in return for filling out a contact form so you're not left empty handed. Discounts, free trials, and coupons are just a few things that work well.
4. Testimonials and endorsements.
When people come to your site they're going to want to know it's used by other people. At the end of the day humans still operate with a herd mentality. Show them the herd and they'll be more likely to take action. You can do this by sharing some of the positive feedback you've received from past customers. If you've never had a customer, see if you can do something free for someone in exchange for some feedback.
5. Something that indicates your site's been recently updated.
Have you ever been to a website and spent a few minutes reading the content and suddenly realized the site hasn't been touched in years and the business behind the site doesn't even exist anymore. That experience has happened often enough that people are constantly looking for visual cues to as when the last time the site was updated. Include a logo or time stamp somewhere on your page to help visitors realize the site is open for business.
6. A story that tells people who you are.
Another thing that can add credibility to your site is a blurb about how you got started and what makes you different from the competitors. Share some of the backstory to your business. What inspired you to get started? How did you first come up with the idea for the business? Also, be sure to tell people how your product or service works.
7. Contact information.
Chances are people are going to have questions you didn't anticipate. Be sure to provide an easy way to call you on the phone, chat, or email. One thing people tend to overlook is putting your phone number somewhere it can easily be found. There are still many people who'd prefer to pick up the phone and speak with a real person.
8. Frequently asked questions.
Many people don't include this on their website but I think it's fundamental. People are going to have questions about your products and services. By providing a list of the most common questions along with the answers you'll reduce confusion and increase the confidence of your site visitors. You'll also find this saves you time supporting your customers in the long run.
9. A logo
A logo isn't the most important thing to have on your website but it's a nice visual cue. Especially if you're running advertisements and you want to build up some brand recognition. It's best to make your logo fairly small so as not to take up valuable page real estate.
10. Bullet points
A recent study shows the more information you put on a website, the less likely people are to read it. This is probably due to the feeling of being overwhelmed by all the reading. When people are on the web they're skimming. Be sure to summarize data by using bullet points. They're much easier to consume when skimming. Besides, if you made it this far into the article, chances are you were just skimming :D