So what are essential components that every home page really needs to include? And why are they so important? Keep reading and you'll know in a flash (no pun intended) whether your site is hitting mark or missing it altogether.

1) Your First Paragraph: I can't tell you number of sites I've been to that don't tell me who they are and what they do. Remember "Five W's" when writing about your company - Who, What, Where, Why and hoW. Tell me up front who you are and what you offer so I know if I'm in right place or need to continue my search.

A good rule of thumb when creating your site content is to look at your site from a surfer's point of view and answer this question: "What's in it for me?" Website visitors tend to be very directed. They land on your site after searching for something they need and don't care about anything else. If you want your visitors to stay, you need to tell them right away that they've come to right place.

2) Consistent Navigation: You need to decide on a navigational system. This is generally at top or left hand side of page with links to every page or section of your site. Make it clear and simple for me to get where I need to go and don't confuse me or cause me to think too hard about it. This can lead to frustration and an early exit.

You'll also want to include text navigation at bottom of page (sometimes called secondary navigation). Another option would be to include one of those drop down navigation boxes that allows you to make a selection from a drop down box and be transported instantly to that page.

Make it brief and quick loading. Avoid large graphics, fancy Flash movies and hefty Javascripts. Have a sharp marketing focus. Display your most important marketing information on your front page. Avoid filling it with tons of details or hyperlinks. Your front page's primary function is to capture visitors' attention and generate further desired actions such as browsing of your sales catalog.

2. Web Design

Adopt attractive and professional designs. If you are not skillful with HTML and graphics, engage a professional web designer to produce your website. This is one investment that will pay off in long run. Your website is your online salesperson. It reflects your business image. An attractively designed site builds sales credibility and trust.

Create a uniform theme. Use uniform colors and graphics throughout your site. Take a peek at websites of top market players in your industry. What kind of design do they adopt? If they are at top, they are definitely getting it right!

Test your pages on computers with different screen resolutions and connection speeds. Do you encounter any bugs or layout issues? Browse your website from your potential customers' prospective!

3. Site Navigation

Lack of navigational links or too much of them affect sales.