I was thinking about this today as I was doing some research, looking at tons of websites, and paying attention to design and copy, and here is what I think makes a good website.
1. The Layout
A good website should be laid out in such a way that it is easy to navigate and you can get to where you want to go.
The first thing on every page that needs to be above the fold is something that lets me know I am in the right place. I can’t tell you how many times I have gone to a website based on a specific query and I have no idea if that website will be able to answer it for me.
That is why websites bounce rates are so high. They get caught up in this optimization strategy stuff and they forget that they first need to answer the query that brought the visitor to their site.
2. The Copy on the page
You need to be clear about what the product is about. It can be frustrating trying to figure out what this product does and whether it is going to help me with the problem I am trying to solve.
There need to be screenshots of the product in action and a very clear value proposition at the top of your page telling the visitor what your product does.
There needs to be a sales copy on the page and a technical copy. If you want the absolute best copy for your page, listen to your best salesperson and listen to what they say and what pictures they use to say it. This is the copy you want on your page.
Your page’s goal needs to be to get your visitors to take some type of action. If they just leave you have not accomplished anything to drive revenue for your website.
3. The Graphics on a Page
The graphics and pictures need to load quickly, if I scroll through a page and I get to a picture I want to see and have to wait for a lazy load to catch up I tend to move on.
Create good graphics that are compressed enough that you don’t lose pixels but that they load fast.
4. Where can I go to get more information
It needs to be clear where to go and get more information if needed. Don’t lose sales because visitors can’t find a way to get in touch with you are requesting more information.
5. Popups
This has to be one of the most annoying. You are losing sales if you have a popup on your page. No one likes the salesperson who jumps in their face and says give me your information. When I see a popup I will leave the site to never return.
A better option is to have a sidebar widget where they can leave their information or request more if needed.
