A catchy domain just doesn’t cut it anymore. If you want to stand out, you’ll need an awesome website. But, with ever-changing design trends and search engine algorithms, figuring out what your website actually needs or doesn’t need can be a tough nut to crack.
But, all successful sites have something in common. To ensure your website’s success, make sure it incorporates these key elements.
Mobile-Friendly
Smartphones and tablets are now at the forefront of the tech revolution. Your site must be optimized for multiple screen sizes and multiple devices. Otherwise, particular users may have an unpleasant user experience. For instance, they won’t be able to see the entire front page, just a portion of it.
To prevent such issues from happening, your site must employ a responsive technology framework. Basically, that allows for all the elements to be spaced according to the screen size.
Making the design mobile-friendly means making it thumb-friendly. Smartphone users usually us one finger (one of their thumbs, in most cases) to navigate the website. Keep this in mind when designing your website.
Try to keep everything simple and clean. The content should be relevant and on point. Users should be able to find the desired information fast.
Meaningful Content
If you want to make sure your site is relevant to your audience, you need a good content strategy. Base the content around your target audience. But first, you must learn who your target audience is.
One of the best ways to go about it is to write blog posts that answer questions that your users have been asking. If you don’t have a comment section on beneath your posts, you can check out what they have to say on your social media pages.
Don’t beat around the bush. The content should be relevant to the title and be as detailed as possible. All posts should be
All the content must be easy to read. To determine the readability of your content, use Flesch reading ease formula. Various free online tools enable you to do so without any hassle.
Short forms, paragraphs, and sentences can take you far. If your readability is not up to par, get rid of unnecessary adjectives and adverbs.
According to a Nielsen study, almost 80% of users always scan web pages. Moreover, most visitors avoid reading poorly formatted posts. Your stories may be compelling, but if they are not suitable for skimming and scanning, it’s all for nothing.
To break down your content, use bullet points, number lists, as well as H1, H2, H3 tags. Highlight important parts with italics and bold. It’s easier for people to notice them when they scan through the text.
SSL and Security
In short, SSL is a security protocol. It protects the data on your site as well as the users, by using encryption Have you ever notice that every website has HTTP or HTTPS at the beginning of the URL?
The HTTPS tells visitors that the site is secured with SSL. It tells the users the website is secure and legit. Moreover, when a user loads HTTP URL, Google Chrome and Firefox send the user a message stating that the website is unsafe. Web browsers trashing your website is the last thing you want.
You’ll make sure your users are well-protected by making the transition from http to https because they’ll know their personal information is protected. The HTTPS matters even more for banking, gaming, game-of-chance, and e-commerce platforms, as well as all others where users are required to submit payment, login, and personal data.
Not only will an SSL certificate tell your users they can trust you, but it will also improve your search engine rankings. Google wants to encourage site owners to make their platforms more secure.
Fast Loading Pages
Pages that load slow frustrate visitors. If your webpage is slow, they won’t come back unless you’re offering them something of special importance. However, chances are they can find what they need elsewhere, and faster.
No page should take longer than 5 seconds to load. To avoid slow loading pages, remove any nonessential data. Examine large documents, images, and videos on your webpage. Get rid of the files you don’t really need or find a smaller replacement for them.
To reduce the time it takes to load images, make sure they are compressed down. One of the best ways to speed up your website is to use browser caching to store static resources. Minimize the number of plugins.
How easy it is for your visitors to find what they are looking for? A good navigation experience can make all the difference. Aim for 7 or fewer section items on the menu. Layout each section in a way that makes it easy to find it.
For maximum effect, the navigation should be positioned down the left side or across the top of the website. If possible, limit each subcategory to 3 items. Point titles should be to the point.
Visual Appeal
Hero images allow your audience to connect better with your brand. Your hero image should represent your business. To make the content more appealing to the eye and easier to read, use white spacing. Make sure all content uses the same fonts and the same colors.
The colors should complement each other. They should give the site a simple, clean, and fresh look. Photos should look professional. Hire a photographer if you can.
Conclusion
No matter what kind of website you are building, it must incorporate these vital elements. A well-designed site will make you an authority figure in your industry. Make sure all of these elements complement each other.
