How do you know if you have a well-built web design? It takes a combination of many factors to complete a website, and the combinations vary widely according to the specific needs of a particular business. Given such variations, it can be difficult to say whether one site is truly better web design and more effective than another. A litmus test is whether it delivers upon the desired objectives.
Despite the innumerable variables, there are specific and telling features of impeccably built websites, no matter the kind of business or industry, which any company can use a barometer to measure against. Below are some of the most important features of a well-built web design of which to take note. These features are absolutely necessary for every website in order to deliver the exceptional results that site visitors and owners expect.
Six Web Design Features
1. Quality Web Content. There’s one primary reason people use search engines and browse websites, and that is to search for information. People desire information everyday, and want if delivered in a fast and reliable fashion. Whether to entertain, entice or educate, superior content is a must in every frequently visited website, especially if search engine optimisation is part of the website’s overarching marketing strategy.
For business websites, content should include important information and come in the forms that are pertinent to the business. Retail sites for example, need high quality pictures of their products, while consulting firms are more apt to highlight client testimonials. A best practice for most search engine optimisation gurus is also ensuring the most relevant content is prominent on the webpages.
2. Clear, User-friendly Navigation. A stellar web design must contain a user-friendly navigation scheme that allows visitors to quickly find the information needed. Important links must be easy to find and given logical, simple, and include easy-to-understand labels. Calls to action are placed in conspicuous spots within the navigation’s scheme. If there is a plethora of content, then a search box is suggested to make it faster to reach more specific pages within a website.
3. Simple and Professional Web Design. Bells and whistles may seem nice in concept, but they rarely add much value to an effectively constructed and sensible web design. Typically, the websites best at effectively converting site visitors into buying customers, maintain an attractive layout, but keep it clean and simple. Google is an excellent example of such a site. Actually, users found Google’s initial design over simplified during the initial testing phases. Thus in order to keep a simple interface, but prevent the appearance of site constructed without much thought, Google added the ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’ button underneath the search box. Despite the fact that hardly anyone clicks on this button, its addition balances the layout in such a way that delivers a better user experience.
To keep websites simple, without making them look bland such as in Google’s case, a balanced distribution of content and graphics is required and the use of slightly contrasting colours and clear fonts is key. Colours that are scream, are overtly contrasting, and font sizes that are difficult to read will put a strain on visitors’ eyes. Also, one should break up sizeable blocks of text with either spacing or images as appropriate.
4. Webpage Speed. People inherently lose patience quickly, and that holds true when visiting a website. The longer a website takes to load, the more likely a person will leave before it fully renders. Beautiful graphics and substantial content become useless if a site’s speed hampers its ability to deliver content quickly.
Several factors affect site speed, including server speed, the number of graphics, website traffic, etc. A web design company must make sure to minimise all controllable factors slowing down site speed by using reliable site hosting, proper website code, and optimised graphics.
5. Search Engine Optimisation. A well-designed website generally will receive many visitors, and one method to attract visitors is search engine optimisation. This entails the insertion of search keywords in website content, an appropriate link profile, social media signals, and over 200 other factors. Just as The Web Showroom developed a resources setion for web design, we also created a search engine optimisation resources to help company’s improve their rankings.
6. Web Compatibility. The variety of browser and platforms which one can now be view web design can present a challenge to developers, but talented ones are accustomed to handling such factors. A site should easily render on various resolutions, screen sizes, and browsers; and with the increasing popularity of mobile devices, websites should function properly on the plethora of these types of devices.
When it comes to web design, remember that not all that glitters is gold. Know what truly makes a well-built site and you’ll soon find your website quickly on its way to attracting and retaining customers.
