What Makes a Good Website?
The Anatomy of a Successful Website
I remember the early days of the internet when websites served merely as functional platforms, holding basic information without much attention to user experience or design. It wasn’t until around 2007 or 2008 that I began noticing a shift towards websites that not only functioned well but also looked beautiful—this transformation inspired me to learn coding. At the time, I was working at a high-end printing company, assisting artists with their marketing materials, and I could see the need for added exposure. A website was not just a place to get more eyes on their work but also to create a digital portfolio that would enable them to be in more places at once. Not to mention the ability to sell directly online. Obviously, there’s more to it than just having a website. Consumers won’t spend time on a site if it’s poorly designed, if they can’t find what they’re looking for, if it takes too long to load, among other issues. Which begs the question: What makes a good website?
5 Must-Haves For A Great Website
While websites, much like businesses, are not one-size-fits-all, there are a few key elements to consider as you build your site. First and foremost, make sure that you consider the content at the forefront of your design. Content drives design, so focusing on it first ensures you meet your goals and provide real value. You’ll also need to make sure that when people land on your site, they stick around, and a big part of that is ensuring your site is user-friendly. Building trust online is another crucial element. Establishing brand consistency and alignment should be considered throughout your site, ensuring the design reflects your brand values and mission. Finally, make sure that all of your hard work doesn’t go to waste by considering SEO as a key part of your site strategy.
When was the last time you went to Google with a question? Every single time someone searches online for a product or service related to what you are offering is a chance for exposure. So, let’s delve in to each of these must-haves so you can make sure your website stands out and catches your audience’s attention.
Comprehensive Content: The Backbone of Your Website
Becoming a web designer made me a better content strategist, writer, and brand designer. I’ve always believed that a design can only be as good as its substance, which is especially true for websites. Web design is one key component, but it comes after thoughtful consideration of our goals, our customers, and our overall brand strategy. Quality content is what will actually help us be found online and meet our customers’ needs. If you are not clear on who your audience is and what they are looking for when they search for your product or service, that is the first step you should take. Spend some time becoming really familiar with your ideal customer, what they are hoping to achieve, and how you or your business is uniquely positioned to help them.
After defining your audience, the next step is to develop your content strategy by establishing content pillars (or key themes/topics within your content). These pillars act as anchors for your content, helping you to develop, organize, and maintain consistency in your messaging. Writing without these content anchors can feel a bit like running a marathon that never ends. But by clearly defining what content your site will include and where it belongs, you can break the writing process into manageable sections.
I like to create a wireframe of the entire site before the design phase to see where we are with our content. Do we need to create anything new? Should it be broken apart across pages? What do we already have that we can make use of? This is a really helpful tool in planning a site and saving your sanity. This stage also gives you an opportunity for a little creative dreaming too. Since a wireframe is essentially a blueprint for your site, you can think about what type of imagery should accompany the text without actually having the imagery readily available. This not only allows you to dream up what your site could look like (in addition to the content), but will also enable you to see if you need a brand photoshoot, video session, brand illustrations, or even stock photography to accompany the text.
The next, equally important, content consideration for your wireframe are the calls to action. After all, you created the site to give them a place to find you, so don’t forget to include key calls-to-action after blog posts, throughout longer-form content, and above the page fold for those quick-start individuals who are ready from the start.
User-Friendly Design: Enhancing User Experience on Your Website
To put it as simply as possible, the user experience of your website is paramount. Many users will abandon a site never to return if they can’t find what they’re looking for quickly, if the design is outdated, or if the loading time is too long. So, investing time to consider how someone might experience your site is well worth the effort. Ensure ease of navigation by providing clear and accessible menus, both primary and secondary. And make sure you have methods for users to search and find what they need if your site contains extensive information.
Additionally, your site should be responsive, adapting seamlessly across different screen sizes. This used to be a more challenging task, but modern website builder tools have mostly simplified the process. Whether someone is viewing your site on a desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone, the design should appear professional, thoughtful, cohesive, and most importantly, user friendly. Consider what is visible on the screen at any given time, create natural breaks on the page, offer clear calls-to-action, and maintain an aesthetic that enhances overall site navigability.
Loading time is another critical element of user experience. Did you know many people will leave a site and never return if it loads too slowly? Optimizing loading times can be managed through your web host and content management system, which often offer plugins or optimization reports. And make sure your images are web-optimized before uploading them to your site, as this can prevent slow loading times (and excessive hosting costs) without sacrificing user engagement.
Building Trust Online: Securing and Humanizing Your Website
Building trust online can be achieved in a number of ways—but the most important is through security. First and foremost, make sure you have an SSL certificate installed on your website. Most web hosts will automate this process for you, but there are still a few that make this confusing and less accessible. I work primarily with Siteground and Shopify, both of which make this process easy. Additionally, it’s important to be transparent about the data you collect, especially if you use tools like Google Analytics. Not every regional location requires transparency with the collection of user data, but it’s worth considering as it may become standard.
Another way we can humanize your content and build trust simultaneously is to incorporate testimonials, reviews, or case studies throughout your site. Practical applications of your product or service help to tell the story of your brand and build credibility with your audience. I love to use reviews and testimonials as a way to break information up or create natural page breaks throughout the content. I would recommend incorporating testimonials on any page that speaks directly about your product or service, your business, and also on your homepage. After all, how many times have you allowed a review or testimonial to influence your purchasing decisions?
Lastly, make sure you include contact details. Whether it be a form, email address, phone number, or some combination of the three, you want to make it really easy for the user to reach you. Giving them a way to connect directly with you will build trust and ultimately make the user feel more at ease with making a purchase, even if they don’t reach out.
Brand Alignment: Creating Consistency Across Your Web Presence
A large part of every website project I work on is creating brand consistency and secondary elements that align with the brand. This is one of the most exciting parts of the process for me. Working on websites compels us to look holistically at both visual and written content to determine what is necessary to make a significant impact on your audience. When considering brand alignment, it’s essential to refer to your brand board or style guide to identify the colors, fonts, icons, and other secondary branding elements you already have.
It’s also crucial to create a wish list for your brand—items such as a brand photoshoot, videography session, custom illustrations, or stock photography can be used during the launch and incorporated into your marketing materials. These elements work together to create consistency, connect with your audience, evoke a feeling, and build trust and recognition with your customers. This part of the process can be exhilarating! While it might be tempting to start from scratch, it is advisable to utilize established elements of your brand for consistency and recognition. However, this is also a great opportunity to introduce new secondary elements that complement your brand and help tell your story, making you excited to share your offers with the right people. If you don’t have an established brand, this is an excellent place to start.
SEO Strategy: Optimizing Your Website for Search Engines
Last but certainly not least is your SEO. In fact, your site really starts with your SEO by way of content strategy. SEO strategy and content strategy are tightly intertwined, which is why it’s crucial to begin your website project by identifying key phrases and defining the type of content you want to be known for (i.e. your content pillars). Then you use these key phrases to anchor your content, which in turn helps to optimize your site for the search terms you want to show up for. Additionally, it’s essential to integrate tools like Google Analytics to monitor your performance over time and Google Search Console to ensure your site is indexed by Google. These tools should be connected as soon as your site goes live.
SEO is most effective when your content is intentionally crafted. Page titles, descriptions, image alt tags, headings, and the copy throughout your site all play significant roles in how well your site ranks with search engines. Paying close attention to these elements throughout the project is vital. However, it’s equally important to review everything towards the end of the project. Ensuring you’re using all available tools and double-checking your work will greatly enhance your site’s visibility when your target audience searches for your products or services online.
Conclusion: The Dynamic Nature of Websites
When crafting your website, remember that it’s an evolving platform that can adapt and grow alongside your business. Websites are inherently malleable, designed to evolve and respond to your growing needs and changing technologies. So embrace the journey—start with what you have, and refine as you go. But remember, your website is your primary digital platform, and it’s an important space where your brand lives and breathes. The effort you put into creating a user-friendly, content-rich, and visually cohesive site will help you not only establish your online presence, but it will help you connect with your audience, turning them from site visitors to loyal clients or customers. Every step forward is a step towards a more engaging and successful website.
Is your website optimized to reach its fullest potential in search engines? Whether you’re looking to improve your site’s SEO strategy or start building a strong online presence from the ground up, I’m here to help. Let’s discuss how we can increase your visibility and attract more of your ideal customers. Reach out for a personalized SEO consultation, and together, we’ll ensure your website not just exists but stands out and attracts the audience it deserves.
