What Makes a Good Website? The Top 10 Qualities to Consider

A good website is characterized by the following features:

1. User-friendly navigation

2. Responsive web design

3. Fast loading speed

4. High-quality content

5. Clear call to action

6. SEO optimization

7. Visual appeal

8. Accessibility features

9. Mobile Optimization

10. Security features

To choose a good web development company, consider factors such as portfolio and case studies. Other factors to consider include experience and skills, technical capabilities, working style, responsiveness, time management, and total costs. 53.8% of small business owners believe in hiring the right web development company.

Professional web development companies deliver secure, mobile-responsive websites that improve search rankings and user experience, while ensuring scalability and compliance with current web standards. This directly translates to higher customer engagement and sales conversion rates.

1. User Friendly Navigation

User-friendly navigation refers to designing a website that allows users to access the content they are looking for easily. A website that offers effective navigation must have clear and intuitive menus, responsive design, consistent structure, engaging call-to-action buttons, search functionality and breadcrumbs. It should feature feedback mechanisms, clutter-free design and performance optimization among others.

Essential elements to be implemented for effective website navigation include the home button, navigation menu, search bar, footer navigation, and call-to-action buttons. Other elements such as drop-down menus, sticky navigation, and breadcrumbs help create a cohesive and user-friendly navigation experience.

Common navigation best practices for responsiveness include:

• Mobile-first design: Including a mobile-first design to ensure that most critical features are effectively displayed. 91% of internet users between 16 and 64 access the internet on a mobile device according to a study entitled “Global Internet access Q1 2024, by device” by Petrosyan Ani.
• Use the Hamburger menu: Utilize a hamburger icon to save space by providing a clear way to access the full menu.
• Use clear labels: Use clear labels for items to make it easier for users to understand their options at a glance.
• Apply touch-friendly button: Make sure the links and buttons are large enough for users to tap easily on smartphones or touchscreens.
• Collapsible menus: Use collapsible menus to allow navigation on smaller screens and access to subcategories when needed.
• Prioritize content: Only include the most important links while hiding the less critical options in the "More" section.
• Test Across Devices: Test your navigation on different browsers and devices to make sure it performs well.

2. Responsive Web Design

Responsive web design refers to designing a website to ensure it looks and functions well across a variety of devices and screen sizes including smartphones and desktop monitors. The core technical components that make a website responsive include:

• Flexible Images: Flexible images are images that respond to different resolutions and viewport sizes. Images and other media should move and scale across a flexible grid.
• Fluid Grid Layouts: A fluid grid layouts are layouts that break down the width of the page into several equally sized and spaced columns.
• Viewport Meta Tag: Viewport meta tag ensures the page's width is set to the device's width to enable proper scaling.
• Media Queries: CSS media queries use a solid HTML and CSS foundation and apply different styles based on the device's characteristics that your visitor is using such as the height, screen width, and resolution.
• Testing: Regular testing on various devices ensures that the website meets brand and user standards for consistent performance and appearance.

Responsive design patterns involve using a fluid grid system and adaptive design approach to help create web layouts based on different width ranges. According to Rocchio, Rose's 2014 study, “Understanding response web design in higher education” a responsive web design uses standards-based technologies to create a website that changes based on the user’s needs.

The strategies to use when testing a responsive web design include;

• Use Browser Tools: Browser tools are tools built directly into the browser and allows users to interact with the browser and web page.
• Use Real Devices: Real devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops feature different hardware, software, and settings that help you get a true sense of usability and appearance.
• Use Analytics: Use analytics tools, such as Google Analytics, to analyze data about your website's visitors in order to understand how your website performs.

3. Fast Loading Speed

Fast loading speed refers to how fast a website page fully loads and becomes accessible to the user. According to Basiouny, Angie's 2022 study, “Why online traders need speed”, published in Wharton Magazine, even a small delay in speed significantly reduces the chances of a customer ever completing a sale or even coming back.

The main factors affecting the loading speed include:

• File sizes: The larger the file sizes, the longer it will take to load in the browser.
• Server response time: Server response time refers to the time it takes for the website to respond to a user's request..
• PC cache: A PC cache is a temporary storage space for frequently used data and instructions that helps a computer run fasters. By clearing your cache, a site that used to load quickly will take a bit longer to load again.
• Browsers: Older versions of browsers take a lot of time to load certain assets and code because of a lack of compatibility.
• Web Hosting Quality: While shared hosting slows down during high traffic, dedicated hosting offers reliability and better speed and reliability.
• Malware: Malware adds a lot of load to the website, slows the website and causes website crashes in extreme cases.

To measure and monitor website speed, use tools such Page Speed Limit, Pingdom Tools, Lighthouse and WebPage Test. PageSpeed Limit is used to measure the loading time of your pages on both mobile and desktop devices. Pingdom Tools also helps monitor the website speed and provides real-time load time.

4. High Quality Content

High-quality content refers to accurate, useful, and reliable content that provides value to the user by meeting their needs. An article published on the Michigan Tech website titled “Five Ways to Improve Your Site's Ranking” shows that high-quality content establishes your brand as a trusted source and engages users, encouraging return visits.

Essential components of high-quality content include relevance, originality, visual appeal quality and optimization. Relevance ensures that the content addresses the needs and interests of the target audience. Originality refers to offering original ideas and unique perspectives to make content stand out. It also involves making your content more engaging and memorable.

Visual appeal ensures that the content is more visually appealing, engaging and memorable. Use infographics and charts to present complex information in an easy-to-understand format.

The key content optimization requirements are:

• Keyword Research: Use tools such as Google Keyword Planner and Ahrefs to Identify relevant keywords and phrases that your target audience is searching for.
• On-Page SEO: Include primary keywords in your title tag and write compelling meta descriptions to improve search visibility. Also, use H1, H2, and H3 tags to structure content, making it easier to understand.
• Readability: Use clear language and logical structure to make your content readable. Using tools like Hemingway or Grammarly to assess readability.
• Analytics Tracking: Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor performance metrics such as traffic, and bounce rate, and adjust strategies accordingly. In addition, keep your content fresh by regularly reviewing and updating it with new information to create an engaging website.

Content maintenance standards involve ensuring that the content is accurate, relevant and current and that it follows policies and best practices. This process includes:

Regular Reviews which are the periodic assessments of content to evaluate its relevance, accuracy, and performance. It also involves refreshing your outdated content information, statistics, and links to make sure your content is up to date with any factual changes. It includes maintaining a consistent voice to ensure consistent tone and writing style.

5. Clear Call To Action (CTA)

A call to action (CTA) refers to a website prompt that asks visitors to take a specific action like downloading a program, signing up for a newsletter, or buying a product. To create a high-quality website, you need to use action-oriented words in your calls-to-action and keep your messages short and straightforward and avoid jargon or complex language. 

Focus on visibility and urgency. Use larger fonts, contrasting colors, and prominent buttons to ensure your CTA stands out. Place it strategically within your content for it to be noticed. When designing effective calls to action (CTAs), there are some key principles to be considered. Using buttons with rounded corners makes them feel more inviting to users.

The text should be easy-to-read fonts to accurately reflect the desired actions. Employing contrasting and bright colors helps your CTA grab attention and stand out from surrounding content. The size of the CTA should be large enough to be noticeable without overwhelming other elements on the page. Finally, consider the placement of the CTA, positioning it in areas that attract attention, such as above the fold, in the middle of the content, or at the end of the page.

CTA performance measurement involves analyzing various metrics to evaluate how effectively a call to action encourages users to sign up, click a link, or make a purchase. Key performance indicators for measuring CTAs include the conversion rate, which measures the percentage of users who take the desired action; the click-through rate (CTR), which calculates the percentage of users who act compared to the total number of visitors; and the bounce rate, which assesses how many users leave the page without taking any action.

6. SEO Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to creating and optimizing content to help visitors and search engines find answers to their key questions. According to the article “ What is SEO, published on the Michigan Tech website, search engine optimization involves following best practices such as using the right keyword phrases and setting up your website's technical implementation by following proper guidelines.

Essential technical SEO requirements include:

• SSL Certificate: Securing your website with HTTPS to protect user data and improve ranking
• Website Speed: Ensuring fast loading times by using tracking tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights and minimizing JavaScript and CSS.
• Mobile-Friendliness: Employing a responsive design by testing the website to ensure it works well on mobile devices.
• Robots.txt File: Use the Robots.txt file to determine which pages to crawl and index.

On-page SEO elements play a significant role in optimizing your website for search engines and enhancing user experience. Content relevance is vital; you need to create content that provides visitors with the information they are looking for, ensuring it is high-quality, valuable, and engaging.

Employing title tags help visitors understand what the page is about. Make sure your URLs are clean, descriptive, and keyword-rich to improve their readability for search engines. Implementing internal links significantly enhances navigation by linking your web pages to other relevant content.

Key metrics to track include the conversion rate, which helps determine how many leads and prospective customers your SEO efforts attract. Another metric is the traffic sources, which allows you to analyze the effectiveness of your SEO strategies in comparison to other channels, helping you identify which sources bring in more visitors. The click-through rate (CTR) also indicates whether your content is relevant to the target audience by analyzing the percentage of users who click on your website after searching.

7. Visual Appeal

The visual appeal of a website is the overall aesthetic qualities that make it attractive and pleasing to the eye. Key design elements that contribute to this appeal include color, fonts, images and graphics, clarity, and consistent styling.

Using images and graphics can make the content more engaging and interactive. Uniform design elements, such as headers and icons, contribute to a professional appearance and enhance the overall visual experience. There are several key visual design principles that can further enhance a website's aesthetic appeal.

Alignment ensures that all elements are organized in a clean layout, guiding the viewer's eye and creating a cohesive design. Simplicity is another important principle; a simple, uncluttered design allows users to focus on essential content and reduces cognitive overload. Finally, a grid-based layout helps align elements in a structured manner, using columns and sections that create a balanced and aesthetically pleasing design.

Visual appeal testing and optimization are essential for enhancing the aesthetic qualities of a website and ensuring a positive user experience. One effective approach involves utilizing various design principles and tools to help develop a user-friendly website. Methods such as focus groups, eye-tracking studies, and heatmaps help assess the effectiveness of elements like color schemes, grid layouts, fonts, and icons.

8. Accessibility Features

Web accessibility refers to designing and developing websites so that all users regardless of their abilities can navigate, and interact with the web effectively. Website accessibility features are important because currently, only 3% of the internet is fully accessible to people with disabilities according to a study titled “Disability statistics unveiled: why they matter” published in UserWay by Sabiliano, Jonar.

The essential website accessibility requirements are crucial for ensuring that all users can effectively access and navigate your site. One key requirement is compatibility with devices. Your website should be robust and function seamlessly across various devices, including smartphones and tablets, to accommodate users with different preferences and needs.

Another important aspect is the use of alt text for non-text content, such as images. Site structure also plays a significant role in accessibility. Color contrast and font size are also essential elements of web accessibility. Using appropriate colors improves usability for all users, while ensuring that text sizes are adequate and fonts are not too thin enhances readability.

To effectively implement web accessibility, several components must be considered, including content, web browsers, assistive technology, users, developers, authoring tools, and evaluation tools. Web developers utilize authoring and evaluation tools to create accessible content, while users rely on web browsers, media players, and assistive technologies to access and interact with that content.

Web accessibility testing standards are essential for ensuring that websites meet accessibility guidelines and are usable by people with disabilities. WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) outlines specific guidelines for making web content more accessible. ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requires businesses to provide accessible services, including their websites. It aims to ensure equal access to information and services.

9. Mobile Optimization

Mobile optimization refers to designing a website so that it's optimized for mobile devices. An increasing number of people are currently using mobile devices to access the web according to a study “The importance of mobile device optimization” published on ITI Technical College website.

One key component is responsive design. Responsive design involves creating your website so that it adjusts dynamically based on the screen size and orientation. Ensuring that links and buttons are easily tappable and spaced appropriately significantly enhance usability.

The key mobile performance requirements are essential for delivering an optimal user experience on mobile devices. Compressing and resizing images significantly reduces file size without sacrificing quality, leading to faster load times. Incorporating mobile-friendly features such as touch-friendly buttons and menus, as well as selecting mobile-friendly fonts that are legible and easy to navigate is also important.

In addition, performance testing is essential to determine how well your website performs under various conditions. Finally, utilizing analytics is crucial for understanding how users interact with your website or app.

Mobile testing standards are essential for ensuring the quality and security of mobile applications. One key standard is ISO/IEC 25051, an international guideline that specifies the characteristics necessary for performance efficiency, reliability and security of a software product.

Another important standard is IEEE 829, which describes the format and content of eight different types of documents used in software testing. The OWASP Mobile Security Testing is a comprehensive resource that offers detailed instructions for conducting security testing on mobile applications.

10. Security Features

Website security refers to any action taken to ensure website data is not exposed to cyber criminals and that any sensitive data is protected. According to Smith, Steve's 2024 study "Why cyber security is important", there is an increasing frequency and impact of cyberattacks that calls for heightened awareness and vigilance.

Implementing essential security components is crucial for protecting your website and user data. By using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption, you can securely transmit data between the user's browser and the web server. Passwords should be at least 10 characters long and include a combination of numbers, special characters, and both uppercase and lowercase letters.

Software updates are also critical for maintaining security. Furthermore, conducting a risk assessment and management is essential for identifying potential threats to your website. Lastly, utilizing a Content Delivery Network (CDN) can enhance your website's security. A CDN distributes traffic across multiple servers, improves loading times and helps protect your site from attacks, such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

The main common security protocols include Web Application Firewall (WAF). A WAF helps safeguard web applications from threats such as malware infections, and impersonation attacks. Passwordless Authentication enhances data security by using biometrics while HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is also critical as it encrypts data using SSL/TLS certificates.

There is also the Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) that adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide two forms of identification before accessing their accounts. Lastly, Transport Layer Security (TLS) Certificates validate the authenticity of a website and ensure that users are communicating with a legitimate server, the website is secure and that user data is protected.

Website security monitoring and maintenance involves continuously checking your website for vulnerabilities, malware, and other security threats and mitigating potential risks before they can cause significant damage. The key aspects of website security monitoring and maintenance include vulnerability, scanning, firewall protection, malware detection and real-time alerts.

Website security monitoring and maintenance helps protect sensitive data, prevents downtime, and ensures that the website complies with regulations. The main website maintenance services include software updates, backup and recovery, content management and security security. With the right website maintenance services, users enjoy enhanced SEO, improved user experience, reduced cost and business continuity.

How To Choose The Right Web Development Company

To choose the right web development company, you need to consider these factors:

• Know Your Goals: Start by defining your website’s purpose by clearly outlining your project goals, scope, budget, and timeline.
• Assess the Expertise: Assess the company’s experience and expertise by considering the number of years they’ve been in operation.
• Evaluate Technical Skills: Ensure the company has technologies such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript and CMS like WordPress.
• Assess their Design Capabilities: Check the company’s portfolio to ensure they can create an effective website with user-friendly interfaces.
• Consider the Cost: Ensure that their pricing fits within your budget and avoid companies with vague estimates.
• Read reviews and Testimonials: Read reviews from platforms such as Clutch, Google, or LinkedIn and look for feedback that indicates reliability and quality of work.
• Ask about Security Practices: Ask about security practices to ensure security in their development process, especially if sensitive data is involved.
• Request References: Ask for references from past clients by speaking directly to their previous clients to get valuable insights about their working styles.

Looking for a trustworthy web development company? Contact us today at Intelivita. We are a reliable web development company in the United Kingdom.

What Makes a Bad Website

A bad website is known for the following features:

• Low-quality content: Low-quality content, or outdated content reduces your website's credibility, turning away visitors and potential customers.
• Slow loading: A good website should take less than 3 seconds to load. According to one study, on Kissmetrics, 40% of people give up and abandon a site that takes more than 3 seconds to load.
• Missing contact information: Missing contact information affects the legitimacy of your website and reduces trust with your potential customers.
• No call to action: A website with no call for action such as signing up for your newsletter, downloading an eBook, or making a purchase lowers the conversion rates.
• Non-responsive site: Non-responsive site is a website that takes forever to load.

A table comparing the features of a good website versus a bad website is given below:

What is a good website for news?

A good website for news should have features such as quality content, navigation, fast loading times, and a clear call to action. It combines user friendly design, reliability and comprehensive coverage These news websites are widely trusted across the spectrum as reliable sources of news that have been thoroughly fact-checked.

How much does a website cost in the UK?

A website cost in the UK is between £1500 to £15,000. According to Haan, Catherine's report 2024, “ Top websites statistics”, this cost covers design, development and content. The main factors that affect the cost include functionality, complexity, timelines and the experience and expertise of the web development team.

How to create a business website?

To create a business website, start by considering your goals and then name your business Choose a design and a domain name and a hosting provider. Options include shared hosting (cost-effective for small sites), VPS, dedicated servers, or managed WordPress hosting. Finally, add site tracking while editing other settings before you preview and publish it.

How to choose the right website designer near me?

To choose the right website designer near me, search using Google search, look for reviews and ask for recommendations. You also need to discuss the budget and Understand what is included in the price. Finally, Assess Communication and Support expertise and ask for referrals. Inteliviata is a reliable website designer and developer. Contact us today if you’re looking for a professional website developer and designer in the UK.