What makes a business website great?

I’m sure it’s no surprise to anyone that business websites make up the majority of sites found on the web. The question of what makes a great business website is a question that is asked by every business owner who wants to be found online.

Great Business Websites All Have These Attributes

1. A Single Web Address

   What does a single web address mean? A business website should not be found on more than one different address. ie. you should not be able to visit www.example.com.au and example.com.au or example2.com.au and find the same content. If your site can be found using more than one address variation then you are damaging your Google Search Results with duplicate content. If you would like to be found using more than one address, you need to setup a redirection so that users all arrive at the same address regardless of the address they have entered.

2. Can Be Found Online

   Although this would seem obvious, over the years we have come across sites which are inadvertently blocking search engines from seeing them and displaying them in search results. There is a little trick you can use to check whether your site is in the Google index – visit our blog “Does Google Know My Website Exists” to learn more.

3. Can Be Read By Humans

   Have you ever opened a website only to find that the creator has used mid grey text on a dark grey background and even though you would love to read it, you just can’t see it? Or you’ve opened a website using your mobile phone and the text is so tiny that you can’t read it without zooming in? Problems like these can often be fixed easily, but unless the website owner realises that they are a problem, nothing will be done about it.

4. Great Content

   A really great business website has great content. It contains relevant information, which is clearly set out in a way that can be read easily. The content of the website answers the search query or provides useful and in depth information about a specific topic.

5. Contains Both Text & Images

   Although a website can exist with just text, it is often the images on a website which help to tell the story of the business or the brand. Without images a website can look very analytical and unfriendly to many users. Adding images which enhance your content is not difficult. If you don’t have photos of your own to use, there are hundreds of stock image providers available where you can buy images as you need them at a very small cost. Just don’t fall into the trap of using images which you haven’t paid to use or you may be infringing copyright.

6. Logical Flow & Cohesive Design

   Logical flow in a website allows the user to move through the website gaining knowledge and understanding along the way. The design of the website should make this pathway obvious and comfortable for the user, almost like walking through a garden and stopping along the way to admire a particular plant or group of plants.

Is Your Website Great?

If your business website isn’t great, you are potentially losing customers every single day.  If your site can’t be found, can’t be read easily or doesn’t look cohesive, the cost to your business may be much more than the cost of a new or upgraded website.

If you would like an obligation free quote to rebuild your website from a professional web agency, contact us or call us on 07 3103 2203 for friendly service and helpful advice.