7 Things That Make Great Websites

July 23, 2009
Blog

1. Purpose

The purpose of a website is huge. It defines everything in the site. This is basically obvious with any website though. When you first make a website, 99.9% of the time you are going to have a purpose for it. It could be a website for your company, selling items, etc. This is important because you do not want to have a website that does absolutely nothing for no one.

*Screenshot Example: Worldvision.org

2. Graphics

Graphics can make a website aesthetically pleasing. Your graphics could include vector drawings, clip art style images, or real photography. Good graphics are eye popping, but not distracting. Ensure your site has a balance of copy and pictures. We are all kids at heart and a site without any pictures/graphics is just boring.

*Screenshot Example: Davi-t.com

3. Navigation

Navigation is often considered the most important part of your website. It helps the user flow through your site. With poor navigation, the user cannot easily get to the information they are looking for. You want to make your website navigation very easy to use and easy for users to get where they want to go (or where you want them to go) in the fastest way possible.

*Screenshot Example: Clearleft.com

4. Accessibility and Usability

I use Mozilla Firefox on a PC, a co-worker uses Safari on a Mac, another co-worker uses Mozilla Firefox on a Mac, and my mom uses Internet Explorer on a PC. People have different browsers, different computers, different screen sizes, and different Internet speeds. One of the most time-consuming parts of making a website is ensuring your site works in different settings. You cannot expect all of your users to have the same settings. This can be very time consuming, but when you look at big sites (Google, MSN, Amazon, etc.) you will notice the same site – no matter what you use (excluding mobile browsing). Making your site usable and accessible separates your site from the amateur sites on the web.

*Screenshot Example: W3.org

5. Color Scheme

A color scheme on your website is something similar to the icing of a cake. Like graphics, it pulls the site together. It adds something to the look of the site. A good site will have consistent colors throughout.

*Screenshot Example: Viget.com/extend

6. Content

Content can make or break your website. You need a good balance of copy and graphics to make up a site with good content. The content is almost a summary of the above. A lot goes into content, but as long as the aforementioned copy and graphics are really good, your content should be fine.

*Screenshot Example: W3-markup.com/order

7. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

SEO is similar to usability. Just as we want users to easily navigate your site, you also want to ensure the search engine “spiders” can also easily navigate your site and find the appropriate information. Doing the necessary steps to optimize your site for search can ensure higher search engine rankings and increased traffic.

*Screenshot Example: Google.com