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. So what are the best features of a great website?
The first step to establishing an online presence is creating a website. The sheer size of the competition in the market has made it absolutely mandatory for clients to create the best possible website. It needs to be most attractive and user-friendly for consumers to not settle for anything less. The success or failure of a website dependents on multiple factors – from the user experience to the product or service listings.
The 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.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD 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.
1. FUNCTIONALITY
As every website is created for a specific reason, the most important feature that any website must have is that it should serve its purpose. A website that sells products or services or engages in any other online activity should centre around the purpose. For example, an e-commerce website should lead a user directly to its shopping page and not beat around the bush, asking for registrations and what not. If your website helps people find jobs, every aspect of the website, every page, every piece of content, should focus on job postings and job applications. The website’s core functionality is what everything on the website should point to.
2. USER INTERFACE
A website’s user interface is another factor that contributes heavily to its success. A simple user interface is easier to navigate and understand. A website with too many options on the home page, or with a complex navigation will be successful in losing the interest of visitors, and they might never come back to your website. Always keep things simple and easy. All relevant information must be easily available, and unimportant information must be kept away.
3. INFOGRAPHICS AND IMAGES
A picture is worth a thousand words. Images attract people. Make sure your website has relevant images that are related to the content. Images, in addition to making the website look good, make it easier for visitors to understand the content on the website. In fact, images and infographics can be used to direct users through the website – as click buttons to go to a related page or to draw attention to the call of action for your business.
Plain, dry content gets monotonous to read, and infographics and images help the content pop. These images can be used to break down information to make it easy to understand or to show statistics.
4. RESPONSIVENESS
Laptops and desktops are no longer the only devices people use to browse the Internet. People use mobile phone and tablets more than they use desktops or laptops. This means, your online content needs to be optimized for all screen sizes and resolutions. A website with a functional mobile version that loads faster and uses less data is the need of the hour. Not being optimized for a plethora of devices will result in your website losing out on a lot of valuable visitor traffic.
5. SECURITY
Online fraud and data theft are on the rise and are a major threat. With an increasing number of businesses going online, hackers now have access to more personal information than they did before. This has made people wary of using websites that do not have a secure environment. This means, websites that use http:// instead of https:// will be avoided by people. In order to encourage your visitors to engage with your website for longer, you need to ensure the security of their data.
Not a single aspect of marketing is more important than a quality website. A “good” website is not good enough to break through and to convert users into engaged customers and brand ambassadors. What you really need is a great website.
To read more about the additional 5 features that will make your website truly great, read our next post and the second part of this blog.
MORE INFORMATION
As an experienced and trusted Website development partner, we are happy to answer any questions remaining, or to help you to create the online impact 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!