Effective website design to get you ranking

Effective website design to get you ranking

Whether you already have a website or are planning to have one built, being aware of the qualities of a good website will get you further than you can imagine.

Some may think that building a website is a simple task and it can be. However, a website that is does not feature certain characteristics can be detrimental to the success of your business.

Therefore, when you decide to have a website developed or to simply have your existing website upgraded, there are certain qualities that you want it to have.

5 Qualities of a good website design

1. Website Appearance

Your website design may be the first introduction to your company that potential customers have. It is therefore important that you create a good first impression.

Your website should be well-polished, professional and visually appealing as it is a direct reflection of your company values.

An attractive website is more likely to keep your visitors engaged, which in turn increases the chance of them becoming paying customers.

The following are guidelines for how to make your website attractive and professional.

• Easy to read text – The colour contrast between background and text must be within a range that makes it easy to read. Black text on white background is the easiest to read, however, there are other combinations that work well. Fonts must be simple and easy to read and the font size for paragraphs should be reasonable as well as visible.  This is especially important for mobile devices.
• A good colour palette – Too much colour on your website can be distracting, especially if not blended well. However, an appropriate colour scheme generally contains about 3 primary colours that compliment one another while creating a mood suited to your business.
• High resolution photography – Pixelated images are unprofessional and unappealing. The photography on your website should be of high quality in both resolution and style.  But quality must be balanced with speed of file opening. Images must be optimised for the web.
• Graphics – Graphics provide visual variety for your visitors. A page filled with text only can appear to be boring and unimaginative. However, you do not want to bombard your visitors with too many graphics. Keep it simple as well as relevant, adding context to your written content.
• Keep it simple – Allow your website to have a reasonable amount of white space. Cluttering your layout with a complex design or animation will distract your visitors from focusing on your message.

2. Website Content

People visit websites to find information that will assist them in their decision-making process. Therefore, your website’s content should reflect your company’s knowledge and competence.

A website with relevant and useful information - you give your visitor a reason to trust you.

Here are some guidelines:

• Your website’s content should be updated regularly to keep things fresh and relevant to current trends or news.
• Clearly label your topics and break your text up into paragraphs with subheadings where applicable. Visually overwhelming text can scare away your visitors so make sure your content is clear, concise and compelling.
• Use a professional writer to write or at least edit your content. Spelling and grammar mistakes on a website are unappealing and unprofessional. Bad language usage destroy trust and drive customers away.
• Interactive content will add to your website’s appeal and will keep your visitors around for longer. However, forcing your viewers to engage in something that they don’t have time for, or are not interested in, will chase them away from your site.
• Provide content or information which is downloadable so your visitors who are interested in your information, but unable to stay for long, have something to take with them.

3. Website Functionality

All the components of your website such as contact forms, hyperlinks, registration or subscription forms and site search must work quickly and smoothly.

When these components are broken or slow, your visitors will become frustrated and leave your website to find one that functions correctly.

Websites are no longer static pages filled with information, but are dynamic applications built with advanced software. Customers want useful technology that will make their lives easier and dependable.

4. Website Usability

Your website should be easy to navigate and understand. This is critical when it comes to a successful website.

The following are some key usability elements:

• Fast loading pages – Pages should load within seconds not minutes, otherwise you will lose a substantial number of visitors.
• Simple and logical navigation – Don’t make your visitors search for information. Place your menu items at the top of your site or on either side making them easily accessible.
• Efficient and effective site search is critical for navigating large sites and processing big data. 
• Descriptive link text – Long link text makes it easier for visitors to navigate your website and is favoured by search engines. Back links and breadcrumbs give your visitors a sense of direction.
• Scrolling is a feature of modern website design – The first page of your website should be an externalisation of your entire website, so focus on the simple internal links that will take your visitor directly to the information they want.
• Consistent website layout – Keep your website consistent across all pages in terms of layout. This keeps visitors staying for longer. Repeat certain elements throughout your website.
• Browser compatibility – Different browsers have different rules when it comes to displaying content. Your website should be properly displayed on all browsers.
• Responsive Website Design – Whether your visitor is using a laptop, a desktop computer, smart phone or tablet, your website should automatically adapt to the device and all the functions should still work correctly.

5. Website Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

By following SEO guidelines, you boost your website’s rankings and increase the chances of it appearing on the top of the results page.

The following are some key SEO ranking factors:

• Mobile Friendliness
• Secure and accessible website
• Social signals
• Links (internal and external)
• Page speed
• User experience
• Real business information
• Optimised content

SEO covers a wide variety of factors and is a discussion to have on its own. However, it is one of the most important features of a good website.

ITM – Website design, SEO and Social Media Marketing

We are web design experts when it comes to the qualities of a good website design. Contact us to find out more about how we can help increase your website ranking.

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