Successful website - These are the requirements

Nowadays, it is almost mandatory for a company to have a good online presence - this includes a successful website that generates lots of leads and, in the best case scenario, sets you apart from the competition. It therefore often has a negative effect if your website is only "passable". So it's worth taking a look at your website and asking yourself: what can be optimized? Or maybe you're about to relaunch your website and you definitely want to make some changes? Then you've come to the right place! We have collected the most important points you need to consider for a successful website!

High-quality content

Your content is what your target group is primarily looking for on your website - it must therefore be of high quality and must not disappoint potential customers. Your content should therefore answer customers' questions and provide lots of relevant information about your company, your brand, your product, etc. Careful research and accuracy are prerequisites. The most important topics must also be easy to find. Use internal links between the individual posts!

In addition to factual content, reader-friendliness is also important. Be careful not to use long, convoluted sentences. Replace complicated terms with simple paraphrases or definitions. This keeps the language simple and easy to understand. Also structure the text by using headings, paragraphs, bulleted lists, etc.. This makes the content clear and the reader can see what they are looking for at a glance. This makes it much easier for them to find their way around.

It is also particularly important that your content is unique and highly relevant to your target group. This applies above all to blog posts and special topics that you present on your website. So-called duplicate content is penalized by search engines and your website will end up lower in the rankings. A bad prerequisite for a successful website.

Search engine optimization

As mentioned above, the right content also plays a role in search engine optimization (SEO for short). Topics and content should not overlap or be duplicated - this will be penalized with a poor ranking. Relevance for the target group and the right keywords are also essential. After all, your website also needs to be found by your target group in order to generate new customers.

Search engines reward good formatting of headings and texts. A low website loading time is also important for SEO. Add metadata and make sure that all redirects (via the navigation structure, URLs and directory names) work. The principle of mobile first for search engines plays a major role in the success of your website due to today's smartphone use.

Usability

A well-structured page layout is not only good for search engine rankings - it also ensures usability. So does the accessibility of the website, for example with accessible videos that give more users overall access to the website.

Usability is about ensuring that your potential customers can find their way around easily and intuitively. This allows them to find the information they need quickly and easily. In concrete terms, for a successful website this means that navigation is uncomplicated thanks to a clear menu and a structured layout. And of course, as with SEO, mobile use also plays a major role here. The website should also be accessible and easy to use when customers access it on the move via a smartphone.

Attractive design

In addition to the content component, the visual aspect also plays an important role. An appealing design ensures that the user stays on the website for longer instead of clicking away immediately. A successful website is therefore also beautifully designed! The first impression is particularly important here - it should be as positive as possible so that the customer wants to stay on your website.

This is where your website needs to stand out from the competition. How do you achieve this? A modern design creates a professional impression and the website has a unique selling point! Your company will be presented in the best possible light. This also includes ensuring that the visual design matches the corporate design and is therefore coherent with the brand, product or company itself. The same applies to the font used and the font size.

Visual content

However, the design itself is not all there is to the visual design. The visual content is also relevant for a successful website. This includes images, videos, graphics and animations, for example. These also influence how the first impression turns out - the rule is: as positive as possible, please! This is how interest is aroused, even more so than with text content alone. In general, visitors stay longer on a website if visual content is integrated. After all, video marketing statistics show that 55% of viewers watch a video to the end - that's three minutes longer for a three-minute video that the potential customer spends on your website. Videos are also good for video SEO.

To make the first impression as positive as possible, you need to make sure that visual content such as images and videos are professionally created. This will also ensure that everything loads smoothly and that the files are compressed for short loading times.

Contact options

A successful website is not only measured by the number of hits and the time visitors spend on it. It is also about how many potential customers are actually converted into new contacts. After all, you want to use your website to sell yourself, your company, your brand, your product or your service! Good content and a modern design alone are not enough to attract customers. That's why every potential customer must be able to contact you easily and without much effort via your website. Regardless of where they are on the website!

This means that your contact details and a contact form are not only linked on the homepage - but also on all subpages. It also pays to offer multiple contact channels: Email, phone, and even chatbots increase the chances that a customer will actually get in touch with you. The inhibition threshold is lowered due to the low effort involved. This leads to more contacts who actually get in touch!

Timeliness

The last point is keeping your website up to date. This is where the technology comes into play: you can minimize security risks and the technology can keep up with smartphones and other devices. Then, of course, it's about the content. Is all the information up to date? Outdated content will make visitors doubt the reliability of your website. Search engines also reward up-to-date content with a better ranking.

So these are all points that you need to pay attention to in order to maintain a successful website for your company. Sounds like quite a lot to consider. Especially if you're planning a complete relaunch. Why not get help from a web design agency? With our free website relaunch checklist, you're guaranteed to be well prepared!