Web designers can be very proud of their creations. They have been able to create some truly amazing websites which take advantage of all sorts of technologies to make them look fantastic. But do they know exactly why these sites work so well? What makes a good website? It’s not just about aesthetics - it's also about usability, SEO (search engine optimization), conversion rate, user experience, etc. And if you want to build a successful business online, then you need to understand this too.
To get started on your journey towards creating a perfect website, let's break down the elements into eight different categories that define a good website. These are things anyone who wants to learn more about web page construction should keep in mind while designing their own website. So here we go…
1. A Good Website Is Easy To Navigate & Understand
A lot has been written already about navigation systems on the internet, but there’s no question that it’s one area where most people struggle with. The main thing to remember when building a website is making sure that visitors don't feel lost as soon as they land on your homepage. If your users can navigate through every single section easily, they'll stay longer and spend more time browsing around your site.
2. An Attractive Design Makes Visitors Stay Longer On Your Site
Designing your site from scratch might seem like an impossible task at times, especially since many professionals outsource the job these days. However, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to improve upon those designs yourself. In fact, doing so could actually increase conversions by up to 50%. One way to improve your overall design is using a tool such as Canva to create mockups before even starting to code anything on your own. You can use these mockups to see whether your target audience will find your content interesting enough to click through to your landing page.
3. Calls To Action Are Clear Enough For Users To Take Action
If someone lands on your website, chances are that he/she won’t stick around forever. As soon as they realize that they aren’t interested in reading any further, they’ll leave – leaving behind valuable data about themselves and their preferences. Therefore, you must ensure that calls to actions are clear enough to encourage users to convert.
4. Your Navigation System Must Be Simple & Consistent
It may sound obvious, but consistency across your site matters quite a bit. When visitors arrive on your home page, they expect everything else to be consistent as well – including the layout and structure of the entire site. Make sure that each link takes users straight to the targeted destination without having to scroll down multiple levels. Also, avoid confusing links because users often lose interest quickly once they realize that something isn’t working properly.
5. Content Is King
Content plays a huge role in defining the success of your website. While you certainly can rely heavily on graphics to attract attention, users still prefer to read over visuals whenever possible. Keep the text short and concise yet informative enough to catch readers' eyes. Remember, people only have limited attention spans and therefore will move onto other tasks quicker if they're bored.
6. Images Don’t Just Serve As Decoration
While images definitely play a big part in attracting visitors, many experts believe that they serve much greater purposes than simply being decorative. Studies show that visual cues such as photos, illustrations, video clips, infographics, etc., affect our emotions. This means that images can trigger certain feelings in us which can lead to higher engagement rates and ultimately better conversions.
7. Links Only Point Towards Desirable Resources
Many website owners think that linking back to relevant resources is important. After all, it helps drive traffic back to your site and increases its visibility within Google search results. However, studies suggest that this strategy alone isn’t effective enough anymore. Instead, focus on adding value to your visitors first and foremost instead of trying to convince them to visit your blog post or follow you on social media channels.
8. All Pages Lead Back To Homepage With No Redirections
Finally, always redirect visitors away from your homepage right after they leave your site. People usually tend to bounce off once they notice that they've reached the end of your site and they’re ready to close the tab. Even though they may love the information you provide elsewhere, they probably wouldn’t come back again unless you give them another reason to do so.
Once you master these basic principles, you’ll be able to start improving your website design skills yourself. There are countless tools available today which allow you to add new features to your website without ever needing to touch a line of HTML code. Once you become familiar with them, you can create beautiful websites that will impress both professional and amateur developers alike!
How to make your site stand out from the crowd.
Every web designer has his or her own approach to creating an effective website. The best way to ensure yours stands apart from the rest is to put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. If you were browsing through Google looking for information on how to start a new blog, what would you expect to see? Would you prefer a simple page with text explaining everything clearly, or something more visually appealing? A lot of people are visual creatures and therefore wouldn't mind seeing images as opposed to plain text.
It really comes down to knowing who you're targeting and what sort of content appeals most to them. You might think there isn't much difference between writing a few paragraphs describing a topic and putting a picture of a cat next to it. However, when you consider the fact that someone searching for "cat pictures" wants something specific rather than general information, then it becomes clear that one type of layout works better than another.
The key thing here is understanding where your target market is coming from and designing accordingly. When you've created a basic template for your site, stick to the basics such as navigation buttons and fonts but try including other elements which appeal to your targeted demographic. For example, a company selling pet food might include a photo of a cute kitten eating its dinner while the person reading the article could click on the image to learn more about the product. Or if you sell clothes, you may find that women tend to browse clothing stores more often than men so having a section dedicated to fashion will encourage visitors to spend longer viewing products before purchasing anything.
You should always keep things simple at first until you get a feel for how your site performs. Once you fully grasp the concept behind each element, go ahead and add whatever else seems appropriate to increase traffic flow and sales. The trickiest part is deciding whether or
The internet has revolutionized the way we access information in recent years. We can research topics from our homes with ease thanks to Google's search engine, and find almost anything on YouTube or Netflix. The world wide web is truly an incredible tool that allows us to connect with others across the globe and learn new things at any time! However, it isn't always easy to build a website that works well both technically and aesthetically. If you're looking to create a site but aren't sure where to start, this article will give you some tips on creating a fantastic online presence.
A "good" website is one that does its job effectively and efficiently without being obtrusive or distracting. A user should be able to navigate through the content easily while still getting their desired results. It should also have a clear call to action so users know exactly what they need to do next. You want people to stay engaged enough to click on something, but not so much that they get bored before taking the necessary step. Good websites provide useful information that is presented clearly and in a logical manner. They don't overwhelm visitors with too many options or irrelevant information.
For instance, if you own a gym, then consider using a simple layout that focuses on the services provided rather than tons of equipment photos. On the other hand, if you run a business selling products, focus more on your brand and less on your product sales pitch by providing detailed descriptions instead of just pictures. A good website provides all the essential elements such as navigation, contact information, privacy policy, copyright notice, etc., which helps visitors understand what to expect when visiting your site.
Navigation - The main objective of a website is to drive traffic to specific pages. To achieve this goal, having a clean interface is vital. When someone lands on your page, they must be able to immediately see where they can go next. Make sure there are no unnecessary distractions, clutter, or confusing links. Also, ensure that each link takes them directly to only one destination. For example, if you have a list of different types of insurance policies available, use a separate link for each type. By doing this, you'll prevent confusion and increase the chance that the visitor clicks on the correct option.
Organization - Your website should contain everything logically organized into sections and categories. Each section should relate to the topic that it covers, and every single piece of content within that section should serve a purpose. For example, a blog post about dog breeds would probably include relevant images, statistics, and links to related articles. Every detail matters, and even minor changes could result in a significant difference in whether the reader stays long enough to read the entire article or leaves after seeing the first paragraph.
Content Quality - Content quality refers to the relevance of the material displayed on your site. Visitors shouldn't feel overwhelmed by excessive text or useless images. An effective website contains helpful information that educates readers and encourages them to take action. Keep the tone conversational and friendly, but keep it professional. Include short paragraphs and bullet points whenever possible. Avoid lengthy sentences because these tend to bore audiences and encourage scrolling. In general, avoid technical jargon unless absolutely necessary. Instead, stick to common terms so everyone understands what you're talking about (e.g. "website," "contact form," "email address").
Call to Action - One of the most important parts of a website is the call to action button. Without one, your audience won't know what to do next. Use buttons strategically throughout your website to highlight major features and lead visitors toward certain goals. These buttons usually appear near the top of pages and often prompt viewers to continue reading, subscribe to newsletters, sign up for email updates, or buy a particular item.
Usability - Usability refers to a website's ability to perform basic functions correctly. While aesthetics play a big role in defining a good website, functionality is equally important. Think about how you'd interact with a website and try to incorporate those principles onto your project. Don't forget to test out various layouts, fonts, colors, and designs until you find the best combination. There are free tools you can use to quickly preview your work.
There are several aspects to making a good website, including a solid foundation, organization, and usability. Here are three key factors that set apart the best sites from the rest:
1) Easy to Navigate - Websites with poor navigations cause frustration among visitors who spend considerable amounts of time trying to figure out where they went wrong. Ensure that each part of the site is accessible via tabs, dropdown menus, and breadcrumbs. Additionally, make sure that links take users to the right place. Even though you may think a link looks obvious, sometimes it doesn't and causes confusion. Use descriptive titles to further clarify the intended destination.
2) Clear Call to Action Button - With a lack of clarity regarding the action required, visitors might leave without clicking anywhere else. Make sure your primary CTA is prominent and clear. Consider adding additional CTAs depending on the overall flow of your website. For example, if you sell shoes, add a shoe size selector under the price tag so customers can choose between sizes.
3) Consistent Branding - Allowing visitors to recognize your company is crucial since it lets them associate themselves with your brand. If you're unsure how to properly convey your identity, consider hiring a graphic designer to develop a logo and color scheme. Remember that consistency goes beyond visuals--it applies to your writing style, messaging, and content.
You've got a few good ideas about what constitutes a good website and the qualities you look for. Now let's talk about what needs to happen to turn your vision into reality.
1) Create a Website Plan - Once you decide on a direction and begin designing, it's imperative to come up with a plan for success. What happens once the website launches? How will you reach potential clients? Who will manage the process and handle incoming inquiries? Having answers to these questions will help you prioritize tasks, allocate resources, and identify obstacles along the way.
2) Test/Test/Test - After launching your website, make sure it performs optimally. Try testing it in multiple browsers, operating systems, and devices. Find ways to measure performance metrics such as conversion rates and bounce rate. Take note of how users react to various components like forms, ads, and images. Ask yourself why people abandon your site altogether and what you can change to improve engagement levels.
3) Analyze Results - Once you've made improvements based on feedback or discovered issues, analyze the data to determine the effectiveness of your efforts. Look for trends and patterns that indicate areas that require improvement. Do similar projects yield better results? Are there any recurring problems that affect conversions? Using analytics software like Google Analytics will allow you to track progress over time and gain valuable insights.
It took a lot of hard work to put together this resource, but hopefully you found it informative. Building a successful website requires dedication, patience, creativity, and persistence. As you become familiar with the fundamentals, you'll soon discover how enjoyable and rewarding building your very own website really is.
When it comes to designing websites that attract visitors, convert those visitors into customers, and improve lead generation, there's no "one size fits all" approach. Your ideal customer may not care about the same things as another visitor or someone who might be looking at buying something from you. Achieving this balance between usability and aesthetics requires creativity and experience with web development. That said, here's a list of eight principles, traits, and ideas that should always apply when creating an engaging, useful, and compelling website.
In addition to these basic guidelines, other factors come into play depending on what type of business you're in, but we'll focus on some general tips below. If you'd rather skip straight to the end result, check out our step-by-step guide to building a simple WordPress website. Or if you want to learn even more about SEO, read up on our best practices for search engine optimization. And finally, if you need some inspiration for a new website idea, browse through our collection of beautiful free stock images.
1) Make Your Site Visual Appeal
The first thing people see when they land on your webpage is the image. It doesn't matter whether it's a picture of the product you sell or just a logo -- it needs to stand apart from everything else so users know immediately what kind of company you are. The next thing they notice is the layout of the text above the image. Text that's too small isn't easy to read, while large blocks of text can look overwhelming. You also don't want to have all your information crammed together on a single page. Instead, consider a few columns where each section has its own area.
2) Give Your Page Depth With Subheadings & Bullets
Most sites use bulleted lists because they're easier to scan than long paragraphs. But not every person visiting your site is going to be using a computer mouse. Some readers prefer reading content one sentence at a time -- especially older adults. So give people options by making your subheads bolder (or larger), adding italics, and indenting lists. Also try putting your bullet points in order instead of randomly ordering them so that the flow seems natural.
3) Use Clear Calls To Action
Call to actions (CTAs) tell people exactly what they need to do next. They include buttons like Submit, Sign Up, Download Now, Subscribe, Contact Us, etc., and sometimes only contain one word such as Buy, Learn More, Get Started, Click Here, etc. CTAs aren't limited to obvious ones like Buy now! In fact, many marketers argue that CTA placement isn't nearly as important as ensuring that they're clear and consistent. For instance, a button labeled 'Buy' shouldn't say 'Click me!' Just ask any graphic designer if he wants his job title placed inside a box or outside a circle.
4) Include Images & Videos
Visuals often draw attention faster than words alone. People love seeing photos of products, videos showing what they can expect once they purchase, testimonials from satisfied customers, and lots more. When deciding what types of visuals to add to your website, keep in mind that mobile devices are increasingly becoming standard browsers, so put your focus on optimizing for desktop computers first before moving onto smaller screens.
5) Keep Content Organized By Section
It sounds obvious, but having sections clearly marked helps people find information quickly. Each section could be a different color or icon, and then you can link back to specific pages within that section. For example, instead of saying 'About Us', you could write 'Our History'. Then under About Us you could link to a page called Our History. Also remember to provide links throughout the entire site in case people happen to get stuck somewhere.
6) Don't Overwhelm Visitors
If you've ever been lost in a maze of text, you know how frustrating it feels to reach a dead end. One way to avoid this problem is to break up your content into digestible chunks. Another option is to limit the amount of content on each screen to two to three sentences per paragraph. Finally, don't overdo it. Unless you work in a field where brevity is essential, don't squeeze 10 paragraphs down into a tiny space. Otherwise, you risk turning off potential customers.
7) Provide Useful Links On Every Page
Links take people away from your website and usually send them elsewhere. However, providing valuable resources on every page will increase traffic, boost conversions, and earn you higher rankings on Google. These links could point to related articles, contact forms, social media profiles, FAQs, blog posts, ebooks, tutorials, etc. Ideally, you want to place these links near the bottom of each page since otherwise people won't bother scrolling further.
8) Create An Effective Search Box
A well optimized search box is key to increasing traffic to your website. While most people enter their keywords into the URL bar, others type them directly in the address bar. Either method works fine, but both require a little tweaking to ensure optimal results. First, choose either keyword stuffing or white hat techniques to optimize your meta description and tags. Second, create a separate landing page for your search form so you can collect data without affecting the main purpose of your site. Third, make sure to track your performance metrics including clicks, bounce rate, average position, click-through rates, conversion rates, etc.
How would you make your website attractive and appealing to your audience?
9) Add Audio/Video Assets
People enjoy listening to music and watching movies online, so why wouldn't you feature audio and video files on your website? Not everyone uses a screen reader, so you still need to make your website accessible regardless of what device they access it on. There are several ways to integrate multimedia elements into your site, such as embedding YouTube videos, downloading MP3s, streaming podcasts, displaying slideshows, playing videos, and offering downloadable PDFs.
10) Include Social Media Profiles
Social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. are excellent tools for spreading awareness about your brand name, attracting followers, and getting feedback from people. Plus, you can easily share relevant updates and announcements via email, SMS texts, tweets, Facebook messages, etc.
11) Avoid Flash & JavaScript
These days, most people rely exclusively on HTML 5 to view your website. Even though flash was initially designed to enhance graphics, today it's mostly used to display animations and games. Unfortunately, it's also very difficult to code correctly. As a result, it tends to slow loading times, cause compatibility issues, and annoy viewers. Meanwhile, JavaScript is used to add interactivity features like popups, dropdowns, sliders, tabs, tooltips, hover effects, etc. Although these technologies are widely accepted, they tend to confuse novice designers and developers.
12) Offer Free Resources
One reason people visit your website is to discover something worth paying for. Therefore, make sure to offer free downloads, free reports, free courses, free demos, and anything else you think your target market might appreciate. Of course, you probably already know this tip, but it bears repeating anyway.
13) Be Consistent Across All Platforms
Whether you're trying to build a complex WordPress theme or just create a static HTML site, consistency across platforms is crucial. After all, your homepage should appear the same everywhere, and you definitely don't want to start sending people to different places depending on the platform they're viewing on. Plus, it's much simpler to maintain consistency if all aspects of your site follow similar standards.
14) Test Everything Before Launching
There's nothing worse than launching a new website only to realize later that it wasn't ready for prime time. Whether you're testing functionality, navigation, marketing campaigns, sales funnel, etc. you should test everything thoroughly before releasing it publicly. A lot goes wrong during the process of setting up the right environment, installing plugins, fixing bugs, troubleshooting technical errors, etc. so it pays to spend extra time upfront to iron out all wrinkles.
15) Focus On Quality Over Quantity
While quantity does count, quality matters more. The goal is to produce high-quality material that stands out among competitors. Don't worry about producing tons of low-effort junk just yet. Start by writing a handful of killer headlines, creating interesting infographics, and learning how to structure copywriting effectively. Once you master these basics, you can expand.
16) Track Results Throughout Development Process
Every project starts with a vision, but eventually ends with a plan. Sometimes it takes months or years to complete, in which case tracking progress along the way becomes extremely important. This includes gathering metrics such as bounce rate, number of visits, percentage of organic vs. paid traffic, top referring domains, etc.
17) Stay Visually Creative
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.