Websites are a dime a dozen on the Internet. Some websites have amazing results and convert a large percentage of customers while others have a high bounce rate and little marketing value. What are the differences between an effective website and an average one? And what are the characteristics of a great website?
It looks good
First and foremost, your website needs to look good. Humans are visual creatures and we love looking at aesthetically pleasing things. Your visitor has formed an impression of your business within the first three seconds of your page loading. When your site looks outdated and unprofessional, your brand will seem similarly unappealing.
Research shows that 38 percent of people will leave an ugly website. If you want your prospects to stick around long enough to read your content and consider converting, then you have to ensure that you invest in quality web design. Do not go overboard with the images though, as that can lead to slower load times.
It works well
Speaking of load times, 39 percent of people surveyed indicated that they will abandon a site if it takes too long to load. Three seconds is considered the optimum time for a page to load. Any longer than that and you will face significant bounce rates. In fact, load speed is such an important search ranking factor that Google launched a PageSpeed module for webmasters.
Another key aspect of a good website is its ease of use and navigation. If a user has to make multiple clicks to find the information that they desire, they are likely to lose interest. Ensure that your navigation options are always clear and easily accessible. Similarly, make sure that there are no broken images or dead links.
It is informative
Quality content is the cornerstone of good marketing. Visitors come to your site seeking information and you want them to be satisfied with what they find. Do your research and find out what your target audience wants to know more about. This could be solutions to their pain points or general information about a topic that they are interested in.
Creating useful and educational content can help establish your business as an authoritative and reliable voice in the industry. This will increase brand trust and lead to more conversions. Furthermore, great content is likely to be shared by your viewers, improving brand awareness and reputation.
It is search-optimized
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a powerful technique that enables your website to rank higher on search engine results pages. You must invest in SEO to make the most of your website as an effective marketing tool. Technical SEO ensures that search engine robots will not face any errors when trying to index your site.
On-page SEO actions ensure that pages are formatted appropriately in adherence to search engine best practice guidelines. When you create content with SEO in mind, you can focus on the critical keywords and guarantee that every aspect of your page is designed to improve your search ranking for those keywords.
It works on mobile
With 80 percent of people using mobile devices to search online, your website should work just as well on a mobile as it does on a desktop. Mobile-friendliness is also a ranking factor for Google, so a site that does not work properly on mobile will be penalized in search rankings.
At the very least, your website should be responsive enough to display well on mobile devices of different screen sizes. However, there are other considerations with mobile-friendliness such as ensuring that the most important content on every page appears ‘above the fold’ or in the first load screen without the user having to scroll down.
It generates leads
Aside from providing prospects with information about your company and its products or services, your website has another crucial function: generating leads. If your website looks good and has fantastic content but does not have a compelling call to action, you could be losing out on potential customers.
There are many ways for a website to generate leads. One way is to offer discounts to people who subscribe to newsletters. This will allow you to gather their contact information and use it for email marketing. Another way is to request that visitors leave their emails in exchange for access to exclusive content.
It earns links
Finally, a strong indicator that you have a good website is that your website earns links from internet users and other websites. Reputable sites are careful about who they recommend to their readers. Therefore, if your site is receiving backlinks from established sites, you know that you are doing something right.
The process also includes building relationships with editors and pitching your content to various publications. There are many tactics to earn backlinks such as reclaiming brand mentions and submitting your site to directories. However, the most effective way to earn a valuable backlink from an authoritative site is to create unique and educational content.
