What to Consider When Building a Website?
When starting to build a website, the first thing you must clarify is the type of the website you’re setting up:
- A brand official website?
- A temporary marketing campaign page?
- A personal portfolio?
- A blog?
- An e-commerce site?
Before beginning the website design, it’s essential to conduct market research and competitor analysis. This can help you determine industry standards, target audience needs, and the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors. This research will guide you to draw inspiration from other websites with matching styles and functions, and help you avoid common mistakes made by others.
Once you’ve established the nature and purpose of your website, the following ten points are the basic requirements for creating a good website:
1. Brand Identity and Design Guidelines
Is the website design highly integrated with the brand’s unique style and features? Does the online experience align with the offline atmosphere of the brand? The website interface design should follow specific guidelines; when users visit your site, they should not feel confused by inconsistent tones or chaotic layouts. Elements such as typography and image style must be consistent throughout the website.
2. Website Structure and Navigation Design
Based on the type of the website, list the required features, then organize the website content structure clearly. Users must be able to easily navigate the site using the navigation bar on the landing page (homepage) or be guided through the website design and structure.
3. Website Goals and CTA
What is the goal of your website? What action do you want visitors to take next? This is known as the CTA (Call to Action). Is your CTA designed to encourage visitors to contact you? Call you for a quote? Read more content? Subscribe to a newsletter? Fill out a form? Or directly go to the product page to make a purchase?
4. User Experience
Examine every aspect from the user’s perspective, including: Where might users come from to reach your site? What’s the first thing they see when they open the homepage? What information do users expect to find, and what do they want to avoid? What are users likely seeking when they visit your site? You can optimize the user experience through user research, including creating user personas, and conducting needs and behavior analysis.
➤ ➤ Read this article: Creating Effective User Personas: Gaining Insights into Consumer Behavior to Develop Successful Content Strategies
5. RWD: Responsive Web Design
You can’t predict what device users will use to open your website—it could be a mobile phone, tablet, or computer. However, no matter the device, you must ensure your website displays and functions correctly.
6. Keep Website Content and Links Up to Date
Ensure that all internal links are valid, and any content or dates that need updating are addressed immediately.
7. Create a High-Performance Website
Slow loading speeds will cause users to quickly leave the site, as most people have low tolerance for slow websites. Image sizes should not be too large, the number of loading files should be kept minimal, and too many dynamic effects can also reduce performance. Additionally, avoid using too many unnecessary plugins to maintain speed.
8. Security: SSL Encryption & Website Backup
Website security is a fundamental aspect of site creation and maintenance. Regular security checks and technical updates are essential. To avoid risks such as site attacks, it’s also crucial to have proper website backup measures in place.
9. SEO-Friendly Website Design
The goal of SEO is to ensure users can find your website through keyword searches and quickly locate the content they need once on your site. This helps prevent users from bouncing off the site too quickly. A high bounce rate will cause search engines to stop recommending your page, leading to decreased site exposure and clicks.
10. Track Website Traffic Data to Discover Opportunities
Setting up and launching a website is not the end of the process! Regularly monitor the site’s click and browsing data from the backend, adjust content accordingly, and continuously optimize the site.
After completing your website, use these ten checkpoints to ensure your website is on the right path and delivering the expected results!
