A good website can be the difference between getting business and going out of it. But what makes a good website? It may seem like a question with no definitive answer – after all, every website has different goals and audiences. There are, however, some similar elements in web design that can help your website reach its full potential. Read on to learn more about what makes a good website.
A clear, user-focused goal
A clear goal is essential in a good website. This goal should be audience focussed and designed with their needs in mind. Knowing as much as possible about your customers could not be more critical. Start by understanding your audience and their needs. How else will you create a website that they’ll want to visit?
While every site will have its purpose, most websites have similar goals. These could include describing expertise, building your reputation, generating leads, or sales and aftercare.
Easy to use
User experience is paramount to any good website. A complicated and difficult to navigate website will be abandoned pretty quickly. Nobody wants to use a website they can’t operate efficiently.
Navigation should be clear and logical, with no possibility for confusion. This should also extend to the rest of the site’s design, with consistent layouts and visual cues to make the experience as simple and user friendly as possible.
Preferably, your site should be able to satisfy both the casual user and those looking for something a little more specific. Use an onsite search option and suggest related content to minimise the possibility of your user reaching a dead end.
Content, content, content
When it comes to website design, content is king. Your content should be specific to your goals and based on an understanding of your audience.
This extends to your use of language. Be sure to avoid too much corporate or unnecessarily technical jargon. Instead, choose words that will make sense to your reader – both casual and otherwise.
Updating your content regularly (through blogs, for example) will keep your visitors returning again and again – turning visitors into customers.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
It’s all well and good to have a customer-focused, easy to use and content-rich website, but all that work could go to waste if nobody can find you. That’s where search engine optimization (SEO) comes into play.
SEO refers to the practices people use to optimise their website’s position in organic search results. In simple terms, SEO can increase your website’s visibility on search engines, getting you to the highly sought after first page on Google. If you want more information about some technical aspects of SEO, Google has a complete breakdown here.
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