There is a large variance in website design choices for software companies and it all depends on the type of software as well as the market.  If the company is a software giant, their website needs will obviously be different to a start-up or a niche software company.  Likewise if the focus is on business-to-business or business to customer sales.  Software as a service will also have divergent needs to software as a product.  Here are some general ideas to consider in website design for software companies.

Product

The most essential page is your product page.  Depending on the company, it could also be called services or even solutions.  Regardless of how you title the page, it needs to highlight what products or services your company provides and how you can help the consumer.  It needs to clearly show the value and how the product can solve problems that a potential customer might have.  It is important to think about the product or service from a customer’s perspective so that the most important features are highlighted.  The key to getting more sales from the product page is to make the customer think that the product or service will solve their problems or add value to their life.

Support

It is crucial for a software company to have a good support page.  As there can be a learning curve to using software and things can also go wrong, it is important that customers can easily find solutions so that they can have the most seamless user experience possible.  A good support tab could include many things, such as an FAQ, a forum or community where users can discuss their problems, tutorials, training and a helpline.

A good FAQ should have comprehensive answers to all of the common problems, while a forum can foster a sense of community and also come up with solutions to rarer problems.  Simple to follow tutorials or complete training programs are essential for helping users find the most effective ways to use the products or services.    If the information in the FAQ, forum, tutorials and training is comprehensive, their will be fewer people who will need to ring the helpline to get one-on-one support.

Downloads

If your company offers updates, extras or anything else that a user might need or want to download, a specific page is a vital resource.  Depending on the quantity of downloadable content, it needs to be well organised and easy to find things, perhaps with a search function.

Store

Being able to sell your software online can be a selling point or even an expectation for many modern consumers.  The importance of this option is will vary with the size of your company, type of product and whether it is business-to-business or business to customer enterprise.  If this is a viable option for your company, it can simplify the purchasing process for the consumer, which can lead to more sales.

Testimonials

Testimonials from businesses or customers who are using your product are a great way to convince potential buyers of the value that they could receive from a purchase.  An honest person’s opinion and positive experience about a product can be a great way to convince those who are on the fence.

About

Keeping up-to-date information in your About section is important for potential customers and clients who want to know about the history or background of your company.  This can help them learn about your company, its development, values and if it is reliable.

Blog

To stay connected with customers and to rank highly for SEO, it is important to post regular blogs.  They can include specific product information, industry related news or anything related that could be informative or helpful to your readers.

Email Newsletter

This is a classic way to stay connected with your customers.  You can recycle content from your blog if necessary and also combine the emails with offers or discounts.  Appealing titles are important in getting people to open your newsletter.

Contact

If your customers can’t get in contact with your business, you will lose a lot of potential sales.  It is simple to keep updated contact information, including email, phone numbers, social media, office address and contact hours.

Optimise Your Business

A thorough and visually-appealing website is important for any software company.  If you fail to consider some of the import aspects of the design, it could cost your business in sales.

Do you need a website? Have a look at our page on website design for more information.