Online platforms are now a necessity for every business. As an increasing number of people from all age groups get used to the Internet and carrying out activities online, online business platforms are where every business needs to be – whether big or small.
The first step to establishing an online presence is creating a website. Due to the sheer size of the competition in the market it absolutely mandatory for clients to create the best possible and most attractive and user-friendly website, and for consumers to not settle for anything less. In the end, the success or failure of a website dependents on multiple factors – from the user experience to the product or service listings.
A good knowledge of what makes a great website and how to get one made is essential for your business. While the web designer will be the ultimate creator, everyone involved in your business needs to have a general idea of how a website is created. Inputs from multiple sources can help in creating a user-friendly and comprehensive website that your visitors love.
10 FEAUTURES OF A GREAT WEBSITE
To be perceived as ‘great’, a website must have several essential basic features. In this two-part blog series, we will cover 10 fundamental features and ‘must-haves’ that every website should have. In the first part we described the first 5 features which you can read here:
In this second part of the blog series we will cover the next 5 features:
6. INTUITIVE
Irrespective of what your website does, it should be able to make it clear what a visitor can expect and then meet those expectations. This is usually harder than it seems because you know and understand what your website is all about, but a stranger does not. To create an intuitive website, you need to think about your users – who they are and what they want. This will help you understand who visits your site and their intent. This will, in turn, help you convert your visitors into customers and maximize profit.
Intuitive web design that took “user intent” into account improved conversions by 200%.
Of course, every visitor will not have the same intent when they visit a page. So, your website needs to cater to a range of needs. People who know what they want and are ready to convert should be able to do so, whereas people who want to learn a bit more before taking action should also be able to find information that helps them take another step towards converting. Every time a user is faced with options, or needs to make a decision, there is a risk of losing them. The faster you can help them achieve their objectives, the more likely you are to increase conversions. Chatbots are a cost-effective way to overcome decision bottlenecks.
7. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)
There are hundreds of thousands of websites on the Internet. In order to be visible amidst all the competition, the content on your webpages must be optimized to appear in the search results of search engines. To optimize your website for search engines, the content should have more relevant keywords and phrases that people look for. Your website should have more HTML content and less of JavaScript or Flash content.
Using backlinks also helps to redirect traffic to your website. Search engine optimization is a vast field, and some research on this is necessary before designing your website content. Launching a website without SEO would only leave your website crying for attention but not getting any.
8. QUICK LOADING
A website that takes 10 seconds to load increases the probability of bounce rate by 132%.
Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who, after landing on your website, hit the Back button as soon as they arrive.
Having a website that loads withing 2-3 seconds can make a world of difference. People no longer have the patience to wait for minutes while your website loads. They will just as easily move on to your competitors’ websites if they load faster. This makes it even more important to have a website such that everything loads fast, including images and any other heavy content.
You can optimize the image size and compress content as much as possible to enable your website to load faster. The standard loading time for a website is 2 seconds. If your website takes longer than 2 seconds to load, you need to back and see how you can change that.
9. CONTENT
People come to your website for information. Quality content can ensure they get the information they need. It helps you establish yourself as an expert in the field. Quality content, that helps your visitors, builds trust and confidence. The trust and confidence play a major role in the minds of visitors and makes them comfortable when they must purchase your products or make use of your services.
Content that smartly uses relevant keywords helps in getting high search rankings. Since most Internet users use search engines to look for what they want, high ranking content ensures a greater chance at converting visitors into customers.
10. REGULAR UPDATING
Websites that are regularly updated encourage repeat visitors. Repeat visitors are more likely to do business with you. You can use the following options to keep your site fresh:
Site updating and adding new content – You can either pay a designer to do this or do it yourself
Blog – Blogs are an amazing way to share your expertise with the world. All you need is a computer and an Internet connection.
RSS feeds – With RSS feeds you can add news headlines, weather, stock tickers, etc. to your website. Additionally, you can add content from most blogs to your site with RSS. The benefit of RSS feeds is that once in place, they will automatically update.
With these tips, you can create an amazing website. The experts at WeSquare can help you set up the best website for your needs.
MORE INFORMATION
As an experienced and trusted Website development partner, we are happy to answer any questions remaining or to help you to develop the online website or platform you need to thrive in your business. Call us at +31 853 012 993, or click here to visit our website. We are looking forward at the opportunity to create just the perfect website for you. Together we can make your (online) business a success!