There’s more to having a website than just a number of pages that say something. Before creating a website, you should have a plan and direction for it. What is the main purpose of the website? Who are the targets?
Here are a few components that make a website great:
- Functional and Easy to Use
Your website should reflect your company or business, showcasing your products and services. To make the best impression, your site should be visually appealing, clean, and professional. Use uncluttered layouts and high-quality images and content. You want to be able to get your message across in a smooth and professional manner. Your website should also be able to do exactly what you say it would, else you end up with a lot of unsatisfied customers. Website load-time should be quick. There should also be clear-cut steps to using your website. Your navigation buttons should clear and obvious. - Optimized For Mobile
At every given point in time, three-quarters or more of the internet are on their mobile. You want to make sure that your website is optimized for mobile users. Ensure your website’s load-time for mobile is very fast and loads correctly. Always test your website on different devices to maintain a quick load-time. Optimizing for mobile will also improve your website SEO rankings. - Secure
Security is a serious challenge in these times. You must ensure that your website is secure and follows website security guidelines and standards. Ensure that users’ registration details are secure and encrypted. SSL encryption keeps your website secure. If your website has a forgotten password feature, make sure you have security questions in place. - Relevant and Modern
Your website should make use of current technologies and trends. Peoples’ needs change often, so you want a website that is able to meet those needs. Your website design should also be modern and something fluid that users can relate to. Your website content must also be relevant to users. If your website is about baking cakes, you want to concentrate on relevant content relating to baking cakes. Including the content of home maintenance tips is not relevant to your audience, and therefore, not necessary. Irrelevant content can hurt your SEO ranking. - Scalable and Reliable
Are you able to accommodate the number of visitors you are hoping to get? Does your website have the infrastructure and capacity to expand when the need arises? Is your database big enough to take on a large number of visitors at the same time without freezing or having a downtime? Also, is your website available to visitors at all times? When a person registers or places an order for a product or service, are they sure to get a response immediately? These are some of the questions to ask when considering the scalability and reliability of your website.
Your website may be the first thing your potential clients use to judge you. You need to ensure it is great to keep them interested long enough to take positive action on your site. A website that meets the above points is sure to be a great website.
To learn more or any questions regarding web design and development, contact Windy City Web Designs today.