Quality Website: The Five-point Areas Checklist
Does your website spell the word Q-U-A-L-I-T-Y?
Everybody is now online. Most businesses today are without an online arm because it mirrors and walks the ideals of a company. A website is also a vehicle for online marketing. However, the objective of just having a website is inadequate because it must connote the idea of high quality and not mediocrity. So, how can you determine a quality website?
A checklist is a helpful tool to make sure that you meet the standards of a quality website and let it stay competitive on the new media setting. Below are our suggested five-point areas in evaluating if your website is trashy or bonny.
1. Form and Function
Form is the look and feel of the website that wraps everything from colors, lay-out, typography, spacing, positioning, etc. Function translates as the approach of the website to interact with its site-users.
In reality, the website visitors are first attracted by its design because this is the initial thing they will see. But be careful because the website’s form must match to the purpose of your business.
So here is the next step: supposedly, the form already conforms to the business’s purpose and you have crafted a superbly designed website, but how about the functionality? Does your website give the interactive fulfillment to the site users?
A beautiful web design is not always equivalent to a functional website. Therefore, be cautious enough when it comes to web development because the website’s functionality relies on it. Double check the feature/s of your website as you might turn your visitors away if they find it inefficient and useless. You allot money to communicate with your end-users through website and not only to attract them by how the website looks.
Remember: The means (form) must meet the ends (function). One of the signs of a quality website is the balance between the two elements because both are considered as the couple in website production. The function will not be experienced if the form lacks impact and the form falls if the function cannot give satisfaction to the site users.
2. The cliché: Content is the King
Content forms are everything from text, audio, video, and pictures. There are two main ideas you need to consider for the content. First, you have to draw the line between the “needed contents” and the “not needed contents.” Focus on the contents that will enlighten the mind of your site users rather than just putting everything on the website that will not be given much attention by the web visitors. Neither too little contents nor too many contents are good for both site users and search engines.
The second level for web content is to keep it updated. Time goes by and so your business environment. Keep in mind that the applicability of the web contents depends in the changing trends and business conditions. Surely, you do not want to lose a target client because the information in your website is not updated. So the solution for this: KEEP AN UPDATED AND MAINTAINED WEBSITE. Always bear in mind that website contents are there to relay the message across—not just a message, but the CURRENT MESSAGE.
3. The Power of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Search Engine Optimization or SEO is the procedure of letting your website ranks high on search engines through the strategic placement and use of keywords plus link building.
Form, function, and contents are nothing if the website does not knock on the doors of various search engines. There is no waste of time if you apply SEO on your site especially when your business goal is to live and survive on the cutthroat world of search engines. Ranking does not merely happen on search engines. The website ranks because SEO banks as one of your web resources.
Think of SEO as the water and fuel of your vehicle. Your vehicle will not work without these; consequently, your vehicle is just there and static, even though it looks very attractive. Also, your website will not rank that high without SEO; therefore, your website is just there like a wallflower. Let the water and fuel run your eye-catching vehicle and let SEO continuously work on your quality website.
The top three quality website points indicated above are the basics. You may need to mull over the two additional areas below depending on your business goal.
4. Promotion through Mobile
Mobile web development is the current trend in website production. Your website will gain more visitors by having a mobile-based site. Why? Mobiles are handheld devices against any types of PCs. If your website has a mobile version, your target market can “properly” access your website even they are walking. Others may defend that even a website does not have a mobile version the users can get access on the site. For this, we think that you need to discover the unrealized benefits that lie behind a mobile web.
5. The Potential of a Multilingual Website
Website localization is the way of adapting the language of your target market and making it a multilingual website. You probably need to localize your site if your company plans to tap the global market. The product goes beyond its usual border so does your website must go international. The first four areas above are useless if the target market cannot understand the statements on your website.
To conclude this, evaluate your site and check its quality. You will not lose on a quality website; in fact, you will lose on a half-baked online arm.
Tags: Mobile Web, Multilingual, multilingual web development, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SEO Philippines, web design, web development, web maintenance, Web Outsourcing, Web Services