Three Traits to Make a Website Great

When creating a website there are 3 things that make it effective. 

The first is Branding.  Most likely you’ve put a lot of thought into your business or organization. You have an overall image you want to convey.

How do people feel when they see your company logo? Inspired? Efficient? Confidant? Happy?

You need this image to be portrayed by your website. In today’s world your website usually is the first, and maybe only, impression clients ever get of your business. Whether they choose to work with you or not, make sure that impression is accurate.

Every business or organization is its own animal. Make sure your site has the look and feel of who you are and what you stand for. 

The second part of your website is its’ Content.

Your sites’ appearance shows who you are, your content comes right out and says it. Of course there are the truly informational bits you’ll need on your site, like hours of operation and contact info, but there are other things too that are just as important. To keep a viewers interest you’ll need to be…well, interesting. The viewer is obviously interested in what you have to offer or they never would have come to visit, don’t let them down. Be creative in what you say and how you say it. No one else is like you, that’s why you’re business is successful in the free market. Don’t let your website be like everyone else’s.

Have dynamic content that gets updated regularly. Give the customer the opportunity to interact with you and make them want to come back for more.

That being said, be wary of too much content. According to CBS News, the average time spent viewing a web page is only 33 seconds*. So be succinct in what you say- that alone will put you a step above the rest.

You have your image and you know what you’re going to say and how you’re going to say it, but all of that is just rot if your website doesn’t make logical sense. Which brings us to the third trait your website will need to be effective; Usability.

 Have you ever been to a website that is difficult to navigate through? It was hard to find what you were looking for or get back to where you came from. It seemed like you should have been able to click on certain words or icons and they should have taken you to what you needed, but they were duds. Did you feel frustrated? Yeah.

That is the opposite of what you want for your website. Your viewers need to have a good experience when they visit. They should be able to easily interact with your business because your website is an extension of yourself. If your site is inefficient, so is your business- at least that’s how your viewers will feel.

So when creating try to imagine you stumbled upon your website with no idea what it’s about. Ask questions like “What’s the first thing I notice when I come here?” “If I click here where should this more than likely take me?” “Does time spent here feel productive, or is it annoying?” 

With these three aspects in mind; Brand, Content, & Usability, you can build a strong internet presence and have a little fun while you’re at it.

*Statistic obtained from CBS News

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/24/opinion/main5037448.shtml

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