As of today, there are over one billion websites online according to Internet Live Stats. In a space of a few seconds, that number jumped by 10-20 websites. The rate of website growth (http://www.internetlivestats.com/total-number-of-websites/) is amazing. However, the number of websites that are useful are few. It is estimated that 75% of these websites are not active. With that amount of useless websites around the web and others being “ghost towns” how can you design something that is both useful and appealing? Ultimately, what makes a good website… well… good?

Here are the basics to get you going:

Simplicity
Whilst many people would love all the bells and whistles to be included on their website sometimes the message that they’re trying to send across can easily lost in the midst of all the noise.
The most iconic brands out on the web have turned simplicity into their favour and defined their brands around it. Think iPhone.

Easy to navigate. Straight to the point
Trying to convince people to use your service or buy your product? Well, your website should display all the relevant sections and links to convince your customer you’re great. There are multiple ways to drive your customers away; some businesses have mastered this art, however, one sure way to drive them away is to confuse them. Should I click here or there? How do I contact them? Where is their number? Where’s their gallery I want to see their work? If your website can’t answer some of these questions quickly then you better revisit your approach and understand what you’re doing wrong.

Content
Whilst at YHP Cheap Website Design we can develop visually appealing websites for our customers however the website would be next to worthless if it didn’t include relevant content. This can include some information about the business, testimonials from customers, image portfolio of work and why the business owner believes that you should buy from them and not their competitor. Content also plays a vital role for the Search Engines (e.g. Google) which crawl the entire web to find relevant results to display for the millions of searches done on a daily basis.
So whether you’re appealing to your customers or the search engine robots great content is a must.

Grab the right attention
On a daily basis, we see advertisements on the road, in the mailbox and on the radio and they’re all trying to grab our attention. However, not all attention is equal. For example, a really run-down house in a very nice neighbourhood might really stand out and catch attention but is this really the type of attention you’re after? Make sure your website is “visually relevant” so it can grab the right type of attention. If you’re selling designer watches then make sure your website appeals to the right customer. Whilst a plumber can have a fantastic website that looks great and serves the need, your website might need a different touch to appeal to your market.

Colours and Images
A lot of people want the best-looking website however they fail to see the importance of colours and images. Often colours are optimally picked to invoke a certain emotion in the person browsing the website. There is an entire science dedicated to the psychology of colours so choose wisely. Images on the other hand need to be displayed in the right place to complement both the colours and content of your website. An iPhone snapshot whilst driving will not render the same quality as a digital SLR camera. Surely the second will cost you more but the quality of images it produces can definitely grab your customer’s attention.

Call to Action
Ok, I loved your website, it’s really nice. So what do you want me to do next? Whilst your customers are highly intelligent people you sometimes need to direct them where to go next. Imagine a person demonstrating the most amazing gadget that you really like and would happily pay for yet at the end of his display he packs up and goes home leaving you hanging. There’s no “Come and grab it” or “Hurry, we’re running out” just simply shut the doors and go home. Hmm, that’s not only confusing but also frustrating. So make your customer’s life easier and direct them with a Call to Action like “Call us Now”, “Add to Cart” or “Make a Booking”. Don’t be shy to display your number or email so they can get in touch with you.

Whilst the list above is far from comprehensive it makes a good starting point for most people who either own their website or about to get one up and running. At YHP Cheap website designs, we dive deep into these points whilst designing your website. We also try to understand your audience to ensure that the work we present is visually relevant to them. So why not call us today to evaluate your website or cheaply design a brand new website if you haven’t got one? Call us on 080 093 2337 or email us at help@yhp.co.nz