What makes good website design

Have you ever considered what makes a good website design?

Surprisingly few businesses haven't considered the key things every successful website possesses.

This is an oversight because that's important information that can be used to improve the standing of your own website.

It's never too late to make key improvements, however, so what do you need to know?

Why does website design matter?

You may be wondering why website design really matters at all, after all, it's only a website, right? Wrong.

The truth is that your website is one of your business' most invaluable tools when it comes to promotion, marketing, sales, engagement, and all manner of other essential business metrics. In the digital age we live in, a website is key if you want to be competitive in the marketplace. Your website is a tool, and every well-designed tool makes the job it's designed for so much easier than one that isn't well designed. A well-designed website always works in your favour.

So what makes a good website design?

Many different components go into an overall website design process. Here are some of the key things every great website has.

Clarity of vision and intent

Have you ever browsed a website and found yourself wondering what it's actually for? Many customers have, and it's safe to say that doesn't make a particularly good impression.

It's very easy to get caught up in the aesthetics of a website. While your font choices and menu layouts matter greatly, what matters more is that from the very moment your new visitors land on your website, they're able to understand who you are and what you do. It's best if you have a single line that can explain your business and use this as inspiration for your web developers. This has to apply to whatever page your visitors happen to land on, so don't just focus on your home page.

Great quality content

Content is the lifeblood of your website, and it's growing increasingly important with every passing year. Content is one of the metrics search engines use to find and rank your webpage when visitors search, so you must have quality content.

Concise and clear copy is key to ensuring you don't exclude any potential new customers, and appropriate images can really make your website shine. Think carefully about the keywords you choose, and resist the urge to stuff them into every line of your copy as most search engines will punish that. Most importantly, make sure your copy is written by humans, for humans. If it's poorly written, it's not going to help you.

Regular updates

One of the hallmarks of truly great website design is serviceability. Think of your website as being like a car; over time, it will need maintenance to keep it working at its best. If it doesn't get that maintenance then it's going to become unreliable. Your website is no different.

From the ground up, it needs to be engineered with ongoing development and updates in mind. This applies to updating the code that forms the building blocks of your website, as well as making it as easy as possible for you to keep your content updated. If you have a blog or news feed, for example, you need to determine a regular upload schedule to avoid your website looking like it has been abandoned.

Consistent security

A great looking website is nothing if it's not secure, which is why one of the foundational elements of great website design is security. Make sure your website development team focuses on keeping your website as secure as possible.

There are many potential security issues you need to face, from hacking attacks and DDoS to malware and spyware. If you're going to be implementing a payment system into your website for eCommerce, it has to be secure too. Many potential customers are turned away from completing their orders due to worries and concerns over secure payment options, so be sure that if your system is secure, you advertise it as clearly as you can through checkout.

Scalability and accessibility

Every great website should be ready to scale with the developing needs of your business. Over time, your requirements will change, so too will the amount of traffic and overall demand placed on your website. You need the peace of mind that comes from knowing your website can handle that without sacrificing the page load speed or interactivity.

It's also key to remember that users access websites from multiple devices now, so your website needs to be designed with mobile and tablet visitors in mind. A website that is slow to load on mobile will cause potential customers to leave before the page has loaded and will potentially give them a negative impression of your business and brand.

How do you ensure you benefit from it?

Knowing what makes a good website design is only half the battle. You also need a team of web development and design professionals who are capable of implementing those key elements for you. It might seem like a long-drawn-out process, but thanks to development technology this is constantly improving, it's easier and faster than ever to build a responsive and attractive website.

The key elements of great website design need to be honed and applied to your business, your needs, and the way you work. That's how you ensure you have a truly great website, capable of increasing your conversion rates and making you stand out even more in the crowded marketplace.

Custom web design services and SEO doesn't have to be expensive, time-consuming, or difficult.

What makes good website design

Why does website design matter?