Millions of websites populate the World Wide Web today, and many web users can more or less distinguish a poorly-designed website from a good one. While each business is unique, the website owner, designer, and developer must consider important features that a business website should have, whether they are planning to build a new website or re-design an existing one.
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Key website elements
Purpose of the site
The site’s purpose is like a mission statement. It provides the primary reason for its existence. The key purpose of the website becomes the main source of the decisions for the site’s design and content. It should explain who you are and what you do.
Target audience
It is important to define the website’s specific target audience. Although every business website would like to target all consumers, designing a site for everyone is impossible. For one thing, your product will have some differences from other products in the same niche, even from your competitors. Therefore, it is vital to identify the consumers your site should target, so the web developer/designer can develop a site that will appeal to the target audience.
Objectives of the site
A website is a vital tool in your marketing arsenal. Thus, you should develop a strategic plan for it, which means you should also determine your site’s objectives, which will define its primary goals. For example, according to designers from jaskmedia.co.uk, you should have answers to specific questions for your target audience, such as the actions they should perform every time they visit your site. The specific questions and answers will help in the overall web design and your web content creation.
Mobile-friendly and responsive design
More people today rely on their smartphones for online access because most of them are always on the go. Thus, your website should be responsive and easy to access using handheld devices that have limited screen space and lower technical specifications than desktops and laptops.
Fresh and engaging content
Web users frequently revisit some sites because they enjoy the content those websites provide. Similar to news, your target audience often wants to see new content, which they use as a source of information or entertainment. Remember that web visitors have a short attention span and only read about one-third of the text posted on a webpage. Therefore, you should have shorter text, more descriptive and beautiful photos, and multimedia.
Search engine optimisation
Consumers and web visitors find your site through search engines. Thus, your website must be optimised with keywords that your target audience usually uses when searching for information and products.
Call to action
It is not enough to have a beautiful website. What is more important is to compel the visitors to turn into leads or actual purchasers. Therefore, your website should have the required call-to-action buttons and text, like make a purchase, subscribe to your newsletter, fill up and submit a contact form, view videos or podcasts, or participate in online games.
Designing a website involves a list of essential elements the designer incorporates into the site design. You can ensure you have a website that works for you by hiring a professional website design team that understands your business, purpose, and goals.
