by Website Innovator | 7/30/2021 | Tips, Web Design
12 Characteristics that make up a strong website
Whether you are a small business, nonprofit organization, or a content creator, your website is often how people discover you and confirm your legitimacy. Not only is a website a source of traffic, it is also a place of branding. You can tell your story that no one else can tell right on the tabs of your website, in addition to your unique colors and style.
Now you may ask, “Then how do I make my website stronger?”. As an IT company with over 10 years of experience of helping many local and small businesses rise to their full potential, we have noticed some common characteristics of strong, successful websites:
1. Strong purpose
Before anything, every strong website has a strong purpose. Without a clear purpose on what to communicate to your audience, one cannot achieve an effective reaction. Are you trying to sell? Are you trying to advocate for a cause? What is the core of the message you want to deliver, and what are some helpful resources? Having a strong, passionate purpose for your website will serve as your strong foundation for a successful website.
2. Calls Action
Not only do you want your website to be noticed, you want people to initiate actions. Every strong website has a component that attracts and calls users to actions it prompts. If you are a business selling products, you may want to call your audience to action through an attractive offer. If you are a social issue advocate, you may want to call your audience to action through your issue’s urgency. Whatever your website’s purpose is, a strong call to action will serve as the channel to your success.
3. Stylish Content
Content of value is important to every successful website. Well constructed paragraphs, customized pictures, and engaging graphics improve the impression of your website significantly, compared to a plain, old text with inserted pictures. Extending from your purpose and strong communication, the quality of your content determines your website’s outcome.
4. Unique Branding
A unique branding lingers in people’s memory. For example, let’s think about how big corporations brand themselves. When someone mentions Apple, do you relate the company to a black and white, yet modern feel? When someone mentions McDonalds, do you relate the statement to a friendly clown with a yellow “M”?. These are all great examples of branding: establishing your own uniqueness to stand out in the market. All successful websites have a lingering, noteworthy branding.
5. Simple, yet powerful
The recent trend shows that websites with minimalistic, simple design are receiving a better impression from the users. In other words, users are looking to find the information they need with less text and more whitespace margins. With this emerging trend, many successful websites stay on point and easy to read without unnecessary information, showing power even with simplicity.
6. Speedy loading
A website with fast loading speed upon arrival leads to users’ delight. Your website visitors are looking for the information to be given quickly and effectively in their research. All successful websites have quickly loaded pictures, graphics, and content that deliver the needs clicker, leaving them satisfied and impressed.
7. Easy Navigation
When people land on your website, they are looking to find specific information. That’s why an easy navigation within the website is important to guide them to the right section. The less time people spend on getting what they need from your website, the earlier their satisfaction will occur. This may mean more visits to your website or referrals made to their friends, leading you ultimately to success.
8. Easily Accessible
A successful website is usually accessible through a simple search on search engines, which is possible through SEO strategies. A website with good SEO is a website that can be discovered easily through keywords being frequently searched by users. The more related keywords and user interaction your website has, your website will rank higher in search engines like Google or Bing. Making your website effectively discovered through strategic use of keywords and information is very important.
9. Works Everywhere
Google recently announced that it is only considering mobile versions of the websites for evaluation - which means your website working on every device is more important than ever. Not only can compatible websites have more potential to be discovered by users on Tablet, phone, or laptops, it can also demonstrate your professionalism to visitors by showing flexibility and inclusivity of your brand.
10. Smart Integrations
Many innovative web-based applications have become available, and successful websites integrate them wisely and effectively. For example, live chat embedded in websites for customers address their concerns at any time of the day, and search tools inside the website helps customers locate the product they need without hassle. Successful websites use these available integrations to the best of their benefits.
11. Safe & Protected
In addition, successful websites guarantee their visitors protection from harmful malwares. With SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), the visitors to your website can have their personal information protected, placing more trust in your website and branding.
12. Active Expansion
A successful website is not a one that stays as it is, but it is what grows and improves constantly. Through updating information constantly within your website and providing valuable, current information to your visitors, your website will have success that lasts.
It may be daunting to embark on your web endeavors, especially knowing that there are a lot of aspects involved in it like this list. But have no worries - that’s why we are here. Contact us today to innovate your unique, effective branded website - we will assist you fully from A to Z.
References:
- https://www.feelingpeaky.com/9-principles-of-good-web-design/
- https://www.ideasonpurpose.com/on/7-qualities-great-website/
- https://fitsmallbusiness.com/what-makes-a-good-website/
- https://yoast.com/what-makes-a-good-website/
- https://www.commonplaces.com/blog/10-website-trends-for-2016
- https://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/what-makes-a-great-website/
Do you need our assistance? Click here to contact us today.