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Written by,
Shanza Anwar, Content Strategist

What comprises of a kickass website?

Quite a few things actually.

You’ll be surprised to know that very few developers out there know the universal rules of a good, clean design. Instead of focusing on the “bigger picture”, focus on the smaller details that will embody your final product.

             Begin by answering this question right off the bat: “why do you need a website?” If you have a clear answer, then you can get started and make your website the best marketing tool in your arsenal.

Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Set a Clear Goal

Every business is different since every business has a different objective. Think about the goals your potential website is going to serve:

• Are you trying to sell products?
• Are you trying to generate more leads?
• Increase brand awareness and visibility?
• Reduce overhead costs?

In the long run, if you don’t have a clear goal of why you want this website for your business, not only will it cost you precious time and funds but will provide you with little to no advantage at all.

          Make your goals measurable, so that whatever you do, you benefit no matter what.

2. Begin with a Host

A good web host can be the make or break factor for your website. Like most web users, you want pages to load quickly – a great host can make that difference. Moreover, complex and hard-to-work-with platforms will only make your job difficult. You want a platform that’s scalable, customizable and offers support channels in case you need them.

Look for the following things when making a decision:

• Type of hosting provided (shared, VPs, fully managed etc…)
• Availability of support channels (emails, forums, contact us forms)
• Features (Storage, bandwidth, number of domains available)
• Price (Compare and contrast with other hosts you have in mind)

We recommend WordPress, however, there are plenty of great options out there based on your specific web needs.

3. Go Responsive.

Let’s not forget the mobile motto “be responsive or die”. Responsive design

                Whatever the content, whatever the intent – if you have a business, you simply cannot afford to not be responsive. Its 2016, and a website that’s not mobile-friendly is going to needlessly suffer.

            You need to think about how your website will translate across multiple devices. And consider the following stats before you make any final decisions:

             More than 20% of Google searches have been through mobile devices.
Close to 25% of US internet users access the web on a mobile device. Users spend a maximum of 10 seconds before bouncing to a better website.
             A great user experience on a mobile website means there’s a 67% chance of the user buying your product.
           With these facts in mind, there is no way you can opt out of having a mobile-friendly site. Google offers a tool where you can check how mobile-friendly your website is. When you’re mobile-friendly, you’re in for creating more business opportunities, generating new leads and gaining a whole new customer base.

4. Clean and simple designs are the way to go

A clear, well-designed website can make all the difference in your business. Choose simple designs – from the general layout to the features you include. By keeping your design clean you make it more inviting and appealing to visitors.

Here are a few basic tips to keep in mind when designing:

Choose three colors and stick to them

• Write clear, concise content
• Avoid stock images or photos from Google; use unique material
• Make navigation manageable
• Optimize your website’s load times

Having a low bounce rate is the ultimate goal – you want to entice the right people to your website and keep them long enough to turn them into clients/customers. By following the aforementioned tips, you will create a stress-free user experience and add value for your future customers.

5. Have a strong CTA

A good benchmark to follow is one Call-To-Action per page. If you don’t like that idea, try having at least one somewhere on the website.

                  You make it a lot easier for your visitors when you offer content that is easy to comprehend and hyperlinks that are visible and clear. A strong CTA will take visitors to pages where you have more things of value to offer them: such as a Contact Us form, downloading E-books or Case Studies or other long-form content. This way your users remain absorbed in your business.

6. Provide Social Media links

If you’re not invested in social media already, you should right away. And when you do, provide the links to your social media platforms so that customers can remain engaged with you on multiple channels. Not only will you build an online presence for your brand, you will also increase the search rank of your website.

            Moreover, include social sharing buttons for blogs, news posts and other content you frequently share so that your brand is visible on multiple platforms and you create leads in new, more relevant ways.

There are so many other things you need to take into consideration when building a website, however, if you remember the tips we’ve given you, you’re well on your way to creating a kickass website! What do you think a great website consists of? Let us know in the comments down below!

Need help building a kick-ass website? We have the expertise you need. Simply sign up for our free consultation to get the ball rolling!

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