Features of a good website

In the current era, a good website is of immense value to any business. But what are the characteristics of a good website? Whether you run a small business or a large one, your website is the first point of contact between you and your customers.

Therefore, it is essential to have a good website to make a positive impression and attract potential customers. In this article, we will discuss the key features of a good website and how to achieve them.

10 important features of a good website are outlined in this article.

In this article, we will take you through the 10 most important features of a good website. We will briefly touch on these features, but if you require more information, do not hesitate to contact us.

Responsive website feature:

One of the most important features of a good website is responsiveness. This means that your website should look good and work well on all devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. With the growing number of mobile internet users, it is crucial that your website is displayed properly on all mobile devices. If you use a social media marketing strategy, even 90% of your visitors may access your website using a mobile device. A responsive website automatically adjusts to the screen size of the device being used by the user. This is now one of the most important features of a good website. For example, a desktop version on mobile is quickly clicked away.

Good website navigation

Navigation is another important feature of a good website. Good navigation makes it easy for users to browse your website and find what they are looking for. Ensure that your navigation is clear and simple and that all pages of your website are easily accessible through the menu. It is also important to add a search function when your website gets bigger, so users can quickly find what they are looking for.

Tips for good website navigation:

Keep it simple and clear: Make sure that the navigation is simple and clear. Don't use complicated words or abbreviations that are not obvious. Also, limit the navigation items to the most important ones so that users don't get overwhelmed.
Use dropdown menus: Dropdown menus are useful in helping the user find specific pages on your website. Make sure that the dropdown menus are organized and that the subcategories are relevant to the main menu item.
Use a logical order: Place the navigation items in a logical order that the user understands. Consider, for example, ordering the items based on importance or relevance.
Make the navigation visible: Make sure that the navigation is visible on all pages of your website. This can be in the form of a menu bar at the top of the page or a sidebar.
Make it responsive: Ensure that the navigation also works well on mobile devices. For example, use a hamburger menu to consolidate the navigation items on smaller screens.
Test and optimize: Test your navigation on different devices and ask for user feedback to see if the navigation is intuitive and user-friendly. Optimize the navigation if necessary based on the feedback.

Design features of a good website

The design and layout of your website are crucial for attracting customers. This is also one of the important features of a good website. The design should be professional and fit well with your business and brand. The layout should be simple and easy to navigate, so that users can easily find what they are looking for.

Tips for good website design:

Keep it simple and organized: A simple and organized layout makes it easy for visitors to find the content they are looking for. Avoid too many bells and whistles and make sure that the most important information and navigation elements are easily accessible.
Use whitespace: Whitespace, or negative space, is the space between elements on your website. Using whitespace can improve the readability and overall aesthetics of your website. However, make sure not to use too much whitespace, as it can make your website look empty and unusual.
Use an attractive color scheme: A well-chosen color scheme can enhance the aesthetics of your website and help to draw visitors' attention. Choose colors that match the style and mood of your website, and ensure that they work together to create a cohesive look.
Place important content above the fold: The "fold" refers to the point on a web page where you have to scroll to see more content. Place important information, such as call-to-actions and navigation elements, above the fold to ensure that visitors see them right away without having to scroll.

Content factors for a good website

Another important feature of a good website is the content. The content should be informative and engaging, and tailored to your target audience. Make sure your content is well-written and organized, and easy to read. Also, add images and videos to make your content visually appealing.

Tips for good website content

Know your target audience: Before you start creating content, it's important to know who your target audience is and what their needs and interests are. Make sure you create content that resonates with their needs and that they will find interesting.
Make it easy to read: Use short sentences and paragraphs, and use subheadings and bullet points to make your content easier to scan. Also, use simple and understandable language, and avoid jargon and technical terms, unless they are relevant to your target audience.
Provide valuable information: Make sure your content provides valuable information for your target audience. This can be educational information about your products or services, industry insights, or tips and tricks related to your field.

Use visual elements: Visual elements such as images, infographics, and videos can make your content more attractive and increase engagement with your audience. However, ensure that the visual elements are relevant to the content and support the message.
Optimize for search engines: Ensure that your content is optimized for search engines by using relevant keywords and phrases. This can help you rank higher in search results and generate more organic traffic to your website.
Keep it up-to-date: Ensure that your content stays up-to-date by regularly posting new content and updating old content if necessary. This can include news or trends in your industry or updates about your products or services.

Speed factors for a good website

Speed is crucial for any website, which is why it is also one of the characteristics of a good website. A website that loads slowly can be frustrating for users and may cause them to leave your website. Ensure that your website loads quickly and that all images and videos are optimized for the web. Also, use a reliable hosting provider to optimize the loading speed of your website.

Tips for speeding up your website

Optimize images: Large images are one of the main causes of slow websites. Make sure your images are optimized for the web by reducing the file size and using the correct format. There are several free online tools available, such as TinyPNG or Compressor.io, to optimize images.
Minimize HTTP requests: An HTTP request is made when a browser loads a page. The more HTTP requests there are, the longer it takes to load a page. Therefore, minimize the number of HTTP requests by combining CSS and JavaScript files or using CSS sprites.
Reduce the number of plugins: Plugins are useful for adding extra functionality to a website, but can also cause delays. Therefore, remove unnecessary plugins and try to minimize the number of plugins you use.
Use caching: Caching is the storage of certain data on the user's computer, so that the website can be loaded faster on future visits. Use a caching plugin such as W3 Total Cache or WP Super Cache to speed up your website.
Minimize code: Minimizing code such as CSS and JavaScript can help reduce a website's load time. Use an online tool such as CSS Compressor or JSCompress to minimize your code.
Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): A CDN is a network of servers that are distributed around the world and that store content such as images, CSS, and JavaScript files. By using a CDN, these files are delivered from the server closest to the user, reducing load time.

If your website uses the StartPlatform software, these speed optimizations are implemented by default.

Security features for a good website

Security is another important characteristic of a good website. Make sure your website is secured with SSL certificates to protect your users' data. It's also important to keep your website up-to-date with the latest security updates and to regularly back up your website.

Tips for website security

Use strong passwords: Use complex passwords that consist of a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols. Avoid using simple or obvious passwords, such as "123456" or "password".
Keep your software up-to-date: Make sure all software on your website is up-to-date, including the content management system (CMS), plug-ins, and themes. Outdated software can be vulnerable to attacks and should be updated as soon as possible. At StartPlatform, we automatically keep all websites up-to-date.
Use SSL certificates: Use SSL certificates to secure the data exchanged between the website and the user. SSL encryption adds an extra layer of security, making data transmission safer and more difficult for hackers to intercept. This is set up automatically for you by StartPlatform.
Limit access to the website: Limit access to the website by only granting certain individuals permission to edit or modify the website. Use two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access to the website.
Regularly back up the website: Regularly back up the website to prevent data loss in case something goes wrong. Store backups on an external hard drive or in the cloud so they are safely stored and can be quickly restored. At StartPlatform, backups are made every 4 hours. Additionally, you can easily make your own backups via our management system.
Install security plug-ins: Use security plug-ins to protect the website against attacks. Many CMS systems have security plug-ins available that you can install to secure the website against various types of attacks. This is especially important when working with WordPress. If you are using a SAAS, such as StartPlatform or WIX, this is taken care of for you.

SEO characteristics of a good website

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is essential for any website that wants to be found on search engines such as Google. It is therefore natural that this is also one of the important characteristics of a good website. Ensure that your website is optimized for search engines by including relevant keywords in your content, meta tags, and URLs. Also, use internal and external links to strengthen your content.

Tips for SEO

Keyword research: Conduct research on the keywords your target audience uses to search for information related to your website and optimize your content around those keywords.
Quality content: Ensure that you produce quality content that is useful and relevant to your target audience. You need to strike the right balance between using the keywords you want to rank for and providing quality content.
Page titles and meta descriptions: Use unique and relevant page titles and meta descriptions that describe the content of the page and include the right keywords. This helps search engines understand what the page is about.
Link building: Link building remains important for SEO. Obtaining backlinks from trustworthy websites and authorities in your niche can improve your ranking on search engines.
Fast loading speed: A fast loading speed for your website is crucial for SEO. Visitors and search engines appreciate a website that loads quickly and improves user experience.
Responsive design: Ensure that your website has a responsive design so that it works well on all devices. Mobile-friendly websites are ranked higher on search engines than websites that are not optimized for mobile.
Social media: Social signals impact your SEO. Make sure that you are active on social media and share links to your website to increase your online presence.

Accessibility factors of a good website

Accessibility is also one of the important characteristics of a good website. Make sure your website meets the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) to ensure that your website is accessible to people with disabilities, such as visual or motor impairments. This includes the use of alt text for images, having subtitles for videos, and using colors with high contrast.

Integrating social media into website

Social media is an important part of marketing and can help promote your website and attract more traffic to your site. Make sure your website is integrated with all social media accounts so that users can easily share your content. Also, add social media icons to your website to encourage users to share the content.

Changing characteristics of a good website

Analysis is an important part of managing a website. Use an analysis tool like Google Analytics to track traffic to your site and gain insight into user behavior on your site. This can help you optimize your website to improve the user experience and generate more conversions.

Conclusion: Characteristics of a good website

A good website is essential for any business and can make the difference between success and failure. By considering the above characteristics, you can create a website that is professional, responsive, easy to navigate, well-designed, and optimized for search engines. Additionally, having a secure and accessible website provides a better user experience and increases the likelihood of conversions and returning customers. By keeping these characteristics of a good website in mind and implementing them on your website, you can grow and thrive your business on the web.

If you are not sure where to start, we are happy to help. As we work with standard software, we can build a new website that meets all the characteristics of a good website in just two weeks.