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website is. Why should they visit? What's in it for them? Why should they explore your site instead of clicking the back button? Include whatever information you need to get your point across, and no more than that. If you need a longer explanation, then you should add an about page.

If you need to explain to your visitors who you are and what you do, you should have an about page. This is not necessary for all websites, but it is certainly useful for most. If you have a business site, your homepage should tell your customers minimal information about who you are, they only need to know enough to decide if your services or products are relevant to them. Any more detailed information belongs on the about page, so they can read it if they are interested and ignore it if they're not. If you have a blog or site that gives advice, your homepage will tell your customers what your blog or advice is about, but your about page should tell them who you are and why you are qualified to advise them. Keep your about page relevant and to the point. Don't ramble on about things that nobody cares about.

Contact information should definitely be included on your website. Your visitors should be able to contact you easily if they need help or more information. Contact information is legally required for business websites. Online stores should have contact information in case a customer needs to return a product. Web applications need contact information so their customers can request support or report bugs. Visitors may also want to send praise, make donations, suggest improvements, inform you of errors, trade links with you and so on, all of which would be beneficial to you and your site, and wouldn't be possible unless you provide contact information.

Privacy policies and terms of use should be included if appropriate. If you are taking any information from your visitors then you definitely need a privacy policy which explains to them exactly how their information will be used and how it will be kept private. If there are any rules your visitors should adhere to then they should be easily accessible on your site. When it comes to legal information, it's better to include it than to miss it out.

Other things that should be included depend on the type of website. Information sites should list sources so visitors can find out more information. Real world stores and businesses should provide opening hours and location information. Online stores should show their shipping and return policies. If your visitors need to ask you for more information about your site, then you should consider adding that information to your site.

When deciding what to put on your website, you should keep in mind that the site is for your visitors. Include what they want to see and nothing more. Legal information is the exception to this rule and should always be included. Try to cater for people who know about your subject matter and those who don't. Give visitors a way to contact you. Don't include anything that is annoying or unhelpful. If you're not sure, ask other people what they think.

Learn more about this author, Kate Hudson.
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