Your website’s contact page is one of the most important pages on your site. After all, it’s the page where your customers and prospects go to find out how to get in touch with you so they can take advantage of the services and products your business offers.

“Hold up!”, you say?! I hear this often:

I don’t want people contacting me on a whim. That’s why I put so much work into the copy on my sales pages! I DON’T WANT A CONTACT PAGE!

I get it! The whole point of your website is to teach your potential customers everything they need to know about you and your products and services – so they don’t have to ask you those generic questions in an email that can eat up more precious hours of your day.

Here’s the thing, your contact page is so much more than just a directory of your business’s contact information and a boring contact form. It’s also an important part of your brand marketing and customer experience.

By adding a few important – often overlooked – elements to your contact page, you can give your visitors the best possible experience and avoid those pesky generic inquiry emails.

Finally, your contact page should also include a FAQ section to answer any questions your visitors might have.

Keep reading to learn more about why your website’s contact page matters more than you might think!

Why your website’s contact page matters

The contact page is a critical part of every website. It’s the page that gives your visitors the information they need to contact you, such as your email address, phone number, and physical address. Your contact page should also give your visitors additional information about your business, such as your business hours, customer service contact information, and other relevant details.

It also plays an important role in your brand marketing efforts. It’s the page where visitors can learn more about your business, ask questions, or even start a conversation. Ultimately, your contact page is where your visitors will form an impression of how much support they can expect to get from you to decide whether they want to engage you for your services.

It’s essential that you make it as user-friendly and informative as possible.

Questions people will ask and how you can avoid most of them

Many of the questions people will ask on contact forms for service-based businesses can and should be answered on one of the website’s main pages. Here is a list of common questions that will fill up your email inbox if your website isn’t professionally designed and well thought out in advance. By the way, that’s exactly what we do. So if you need some help, just hit that big red “Book a Call” button at the top of our website!

What should I do if I have a question or inquiry that is not addressed on the rest of the website?

• Make sure your message is clear on all of your sales pages and products and services pages. For each page, service and product, brainstorm all the questions a new customer might ask and do your best to clearly answer them in the page copy or FAQs.
• When someone does ask a question, add it to your FAQs along with the answer so the next person doesn’t have to contact you about it. If one person needed the answer, chances are someone else will ask the same question again.
• Revisit your website copy periodically to make sure your message is still clear and relevant. This is especially needed after a re-brand, an update to your policies or after adding (or removing) a service or product that you offer.
• Don’t clutter your copy with too much information. Information overload will lead the reader to give up and search for a direct answer from you instead of trying to find it themselves when it is buried in a wall of text. If the answer is on your website but is hard to find, it might as well not exist.

Can I speak directly with a representative if I want to learn more about a particular product or service?

• I’ll say it again, make sure your copy doesn’t leave the reader hanging. If you have low-end offerings that should speak for themselves, provide as much information as possible so it is a simple question of “Do I want to purchase this item or not?”.
• If you offer mid to high-end products and services, you may actually want them to contact you to find out if they are a good fit, and vice versa. On your service pages, add a link to a scheduler so they can book a quick free or paid “Fit” call if they are interested in getting started but aren’t quite sure if it is right for them. This will also help you qualify them so you don’t end up with an unhappy customer that shouldn’t have purchased your product in the first place.
• Encourage them to try a little harder to find the answer themselves by setting expectations on contact form response times. For example, “Our administrative team is available from 9 am to 3 pm on business days and we will do our best to respond within three days.”

How can I provide feedback or suggestions for improving the website or if I am experiencing technical issues?

• You want this type of feedback! Always be open to feedback about how visitors are experiencing your website. You may be able to make some tweaks to the user interface that could improve your conversion rates and bring in more leads.
• Offer a special section on your contact form for issues related to the website. If you have a website care plan, your website designer can configure the form so it gets sent directly to them and you won’t even have to worry about the technical details.
• If your visitors tend to have issues with tech, provide a special page with solutions to common problems, such as those related to clearing browser cache and cookies. It can also guide them to tools such as Loom that will allow them to do a screen recording of complex issues so you can see where in the flow they are experiencing issues. This will depend on the amount of technical support you can actually provide.

Is it possible to schedule a consultation or appointment?

• Link your contact page to your scheduling app if you offer paid consultations.
• Write clear copy on your contact form explaining that questions requiring a consultation will result in you sending a link to the same scheduling form on the contact page. Encourage them to book the call now instead of waiting.
• Embed your most common bookings right on your contact page. Link to the pages where they can book other services.
• If you don’t offer consultations or appointments, state this clearly and offer an alternative.

Are there any opportunities to partner or collaborate with the business in some way?

• SPAM alert! It is common for spammers to use forms to offer some kind of tie-up. Be wary of these and see the section on this page about protecting against spam.
• Sometimes it is a legitimate offer to work together, for example, a colleague may enquire about bringing you on to a podcast or doing a live workshop together. If you are open to these opportunities, add this option to your form and include specific information that you’ll need in order to give them an answer. (eg. Your workshop fees, times and locations)
• If you simply aren’t open to any partnership or collaboration offers then state this clearly above the form. You can even go so far as to explain that these types of emails simply will not get a response.

How can I address a complaint or issue that I have with the business?

• Link to your Privacy, Terms and Conditions and Disclaimer pages. If you don’t have these set up yet, bookmark this page, stop what you are doing and get working on them. We use and highly recommend Termageddon for these essential pages on your website.

What are the pricing or payment options for the products or services offered, and how do I get more information about them?

• Once again, it’s all about a clear message and well-written copy for your sales pages and checkout pages. If you are having trouble getting clear about your message, book a quick call with us to see if we can help!
• If you offer alternatives for payment that you don’t necessarily want to market too openly, your contact page may be a good opportunity for potential clients with specific needs to get in touch. A good example is if you offer parity pricing for certain countries. Specify this and make it an option on your contact form.

Is it possible to request a customized or personalized offering that is not currently listed on the website?

• If you offer custom packages, display them clearly on your service pages when possible.
• Sometimes you don’t want to openly offer bespoke services but are open to inquiries. If so, make this an option in your contact form and be as clear about who is right for these services.

Are there any career or job opportunities available with the business, and how can I learn more about them?

• If you do have job opportunities, create a “careers” page for your website and add it to your footer. Include the job requirements, company vision, values and mission statement along with an application form. Include a required checkbox that states “by submitting this application, I confirm that I have read and understand, and agree with this company’s values.”
• If you don’t take applications or job inquiries just state this on your contact page.
• Bonus: If you have a colleague with job openings, include a link to their careers page. It’s a win-win!

What are your upcoming singing or acting classes, or workshops?

• Link to your booking and events pages with clear wording, such as “Find all our upcoming classes and events here.”
• If you are all booked up and not accepting new students or clients, just state so clearly and add a link for them to subscribe to your newsletter for updates when new offerings come out. You can even segment them in your email marketing system as a warm lead that is known to be wanting your services.

The essentials: what every contact page needs

An effective contact page should include the following information:

1 Include Your Business Contact Information

This should include your business’s phone number, email address, and physical address. There are times when you might not wish to include some of these contact items on your site.

If work from home or don’t accept in-person client or student visits, you don’t need to include your full address. Instead, use the city or town that you do business in. This will show your prospective clients – as well as search engines – that you are indeed a genuine business with real live human beings.

You can also leave your phone number out if you don’t offer phone support or don’t want to take initial calls by phone. This is common if you want them to fill out a questionnaire first so you qualify them or prepare for the first meeting. However, if the only reason you don’t want to publish your phone number is for privacy, there are other options out there to consider. For example, you can get an inexpensive international phone number via Skype so people can still call you up with an inquiry and you can separate your private calls from your business calls.

2 Provide Contact and Inquiry Forms

A contact form makes it easy for customers to send you a message and provides a way for you to collect important information from them.

It helps you to stay connected to customers and build relationships with them. It also helps you to generate leads and reach out to potential customers. A contact form makes it easy for customers to provide feedback, report any issues they may be experiencing, and easily inquire about product or service information.

PRO TIP 1:

Include a newsletter opt-in checkbox at the end of your inquiry form so you can continue to nurture them and answer their questions via email campaigns. This will help establish you as a knowledgeable able authority in your field and when they have a question or run into an issue, your name will be the first to pop into their mind to reach out for answers.

PRO TIP 2:

Include spam checking on your form, such as honey pot technology, Google ReCaptcha or hCaptcha to keep spammers and hackers out of your email inbox. Your web developer can implement this for you.

If you’re worried about getting too many generic questions from your contact form, the answer isn’t to ditch the contact page altogether. Instead, include plenty of options on the contact page to

guide the user to the answers they are looking for. Then include specific dropdown lists and checkboxes to guide them toward asking the best possible question so you can offer the best possible solution.

Set expectations by including your support team’s response times! Nothing is worse than wondering whether your email even got through or if your question got ignored. Don’t leave them hanging in the dark. If you set expectations right from the start, they will be more patient in waiting for the answer. They may even dig deeper through your website while waiting, and find the answer themselves.

3 Give a Map and Directions:

Including a map and directions to your physical location can make it easier for customers to find you. If you have a brick-and-mortar business location and accept walk-ins or in-person meetings or lessons, this is non-negotiable!

I’ve heard many stories from teachers saying they got a phone call from a new student saying, “Hi! I’m here for my first lesson and I’m so excited, but I can’t find you. By the way, I’m not sure I’m comfortable singing out in this open field quite yet…” (Where ARE you?!) I’ve also heard of students showing up at the teacher’s university instead of at their house for private lessons.

Don’t leave any doubt. Clear instructions with a map and visual indicators of how to navigate to your location can save you and your clients from having to reschedule due to a wrong turn.

TIP: If you have multiple locations or your studio is particularly difficult to locate, consider dedicating a full page to “Access”. You can add pictures of surrounding landmarks or even a cheerful video to show how to get right to your front door. If parking is limited, be sure to include that as well.

4 Supply Your Social Media Links:

Including links to your social media profiles on your contact page can give customers another way to get in touch with you and provide an opportunity for them to connect with your brand. They can also stay up to date with any news, promotions, or events if they end up following you or subscribing. It also allows customers to leave reviews and feedback.

Social media is a great way for small businesses to slowly make their brand known and to constantly get your name and logo in front of your potential customers. This is especially helpful to new businesses or those who still have a relatively small following and are trying to get known. If they landed on your contact page, they still have questions about you or your services that you may already be answering via social media posts.

5 Anticipate Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Including an FAQ section on your website contact page can save you time by answering common questions from customers before they even have to ask. They will thank you in the end since they don’t need to go through the effort of sending a message when they still haven’t had the chance to get to know you. If they’re in a hurry and just need a quick answer, you may also risk losing their attention as they can easily click away to another site to get the answers they need.

TIP: If you have a lot of FAQs, include the most common ones right on the contact page, followed by a link to a page on your website fully dedicated to answering their questions.

6 Site Navigation Menu

The visitor may very well have ended up on your contact page because they couldn’t easily find what they were looking for on your site. Including a simple navigation menu with your site’s most important pages and most popular posts can help them arrive at the answers they were looking for.

Supplementing the navigation menu with a short description of the answers they’ll find on that page will encourage the reader to visit that page on your website before they fill out the contact form. Let’s face it, most of us don’t want to go through the hassle of emailing back and forth if we can quickly and easily get our answers first.

7 BONUS: The Importance of a Strong Call to Action on Your Contact Page

Once you’ve filled your contact page with all the essential information needed, you should also include a call to action. A call to action is a statement that encourages the visitor to take a specific action (such as filling out a form, booking a call, or making a purchase). Your call to action should be clear and concise and should stand out from the rest of the content on the page.

Why? It happens to all of us – You’re on website, somewhat distracted or in a hurry, and all you want to do is book a call (paid or free) but it isn’t obvious how you can do that from the page you were on. This is frustrating.

If the your customer ends up on your contact page and still doesn’t know what they should do to get in contact with for your services, they’ll give up and go somewhere else. After all, if it’s this much trouble getting ahold of you on your website, what would it be like after they’ve already hired you?

Hopefully, you planned out your website with a great strategy and you know what your #1 goal for your visitor is. Help them reach that goal.

Common goals for teaching, coaching, and membership sites that should be a call to action button on your contact page include:

• Book a Call
• Schedule a Lesson
• Sign Up Here
• Join Our Community
• Subscribe for Weekly Singing Tips

Provide your leads with the ability to act upon their interest.

Why your contact page’s design matters

The design of your contact page is just as important as the content. Your contact page should be aesthetically pleasing, easy to navigate, and mobile-friendly. A well-thought-out page design will:

• Contribute to higher user satisfaction
• Enhance the appearance of your brand through a positive User Experience
• Increase the likelihood that your visitors will reach out when they need you
• Motivate your readers to browse your site and learn more before giving up and sending an email

A clean and professional design that aligns with your brand’s visual identity will make your visitor feel like they have already gotten to know you and will be more likely to engage in your services, ask questions and offer valuable feedback.

The use of high-quality images, such as photos of your physical location or team members, can help to bring that personal touch to your contact page and make a long-lasting impression, turning visitors into warm leads and ultimately into paying customers.

By the time they contact you, it should be apparent to your visitors whether their goals and values align with those of your company. This will maximize the chances of your ideal client knocking on your door, and discourage “tire kickers” from eating up your valuable time.

Make sure they get your email

When a visitor fills out your website contact form, it will fire off an email to you and you’ll most likely send them a copy of their submission along with a “thank you” note.

Your website server was built to serve up your website to its visitors. While it can also send emails, that’s not its main purpose and it is not optimized to be an email server. To ensure that the forms are delivered accurately each time they are sent, use reliable services such as MailerSend, SendInBlue, or Postman.

You’ve worked hard on the creation of your contact page – make sure the effort is worthwhile by guaranteeing successful delivery!

Your web developer or website care plan provider can make sure your website email is configured properly. If you don’t have someone looking after your site, we may be able to help. Check out our WordPress Web Care Plans here.

The Bottom Line

Don’t Dismiss the Role of Your Website’s Contact Page.

Having a contact page on your website adds crucial value to your overall online presence. It provides your visitors with the information they need to contact you and gives them a positive experience. It affects your brand’s marketing efforts and can make or break your customer experience.

Take some time to review your own contact page. Ask yourself these questions.

• Are my company’s values represented appropriately?
• Do we offer a variety of ways to get in touch?
• Can our visitors learn more about our brand and offerings?
• Can current clients find us easily without having to make a phone call last minute?
• Is the call to action clear?

Now is the time to get in there and make these updates to keep your clients, students and the search engines happy.

“Ready to Optimize Your Contact Page? Contact Us for Help!”

Need some help? We can create or update your page for you! Get a project started with us here, or book a quick call to see if we’d be a good fit. We specialize in strategy! So if you’re not sure what should go on your contact page and need some direction, you can book a paid strategy call where we can go over your website and goals together.