7 Steps to a Great Website

7 Tips to Help You Design a Great Website

If properly designed, your website will serve as the cornerstone of your company’s success. With a little advance planning, you can use a user-friendly design program like Weebly to build a great website for your company. Below are 7 tips to help you design a winning website.  

1. Start with a Goal in Mind

Before you dive into the website design pool, outline your primary goal. For instance, are you seeking to promote a new product? Or are you trying to educate your readers? Whether your goal is to increase product sales, generate more qualified leads, or simply to educate your readers, you need to clarify your goals.

2. Mobile Friendly & Responsive

In 2015, Google confirmed that there is now more search activity conducted using mobile devices than desktop computers. With 80% of internet users owning a smartphone, it is more critical than ever to make sure that your website is mobile responsive.

3. Simple is the Ultimate Sophistication

A simple website helps keep viewers engaged and is easier to navigate. Locating information is less time-consuming and the website focus is on content as opposed to flashy technology. With fewer pages to navigate, visitors can browse pages faster, leading to increased viewer satisfaction.

4. Relevant Content

Content that is useful and well-designed will help boost your website’s search engine rankings. Additionally, people who visit your site will have a more productive user experience and will be more likely to return. You can enhance your content and keep your readers engaged by including the following types of content:  

  • Helpful tips
  • Interesting facts
  • Entertaining material
  • Instructional videos
  • Motivating blog posts

5. Avoid the "Wall of Text" Syndrome

While content is one of the most important elements of your website, it is even more critical to make sure that your visitors do not lose interest in your content. The best way to keep readers focused on your content is to avoid the “wall of text” syndrome. Below are some strategies to help organize your content to make it easier for your visitors to absorb:

  • Use headers and bullet points
  • Include no more than 3-4 sentences in each paragraph
  • Avoid the use of run-on sentences
  • Use bold text and italics to draw attention to headers and key points

6. Make Your Contact Information Easy to Find

Your efforts to improve your website may be futile if you fail to include your contact information. People who visit your site should easily be able to locate your contact details, and should be able to reach you in at least one of the following ways:  

  • By telephone
  • By email
  • Through completing an online quote request form
  • By online chat

7. Get Feedback Before You Launch

Before you launch your site, ask a trusted colleague, friend, or family member to review your website with a critical eye. Ask them to give you feedback on your site’s appearance, content, and ease of navigation. Also ask them to highlight any spelling or grammatical errors which can give your website an amateur appearance.  

BONUS TIP : Seek Guidance from an Industry Leader

The best way to ensure that you build an effective website is to consult with an industry expert. Your web hosting company may be able to help you or you may want to follow a blog of someone you identify with.