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What Makes a Good Website?
Taylor Tunnison • January 28, 2022

Every business needs a great website. These useful digital resources are the backbone of the internet, connecting billions of people with products and services worldwide. Visitors use them to shop, explore, and research at all hours of the day. Knowing what makes a good website will set your business apart from competitors. The best ones load quickly, are easy to navigate, and appeal to wide audiences. They boost business credibility and build brand loyalty for years to come. Web developers know what makes a good website, and these are the top criteria in our opinion.

1. Streamlined Design

It’s critical for your website to be visually appealing. A first impression is a lasting one, after all. Including as much as possible may be tempting, but that’s simply not helpful. For one, it bogs down the load time, especially on mobile devices. Plus, it will confuse and frustrate users if they can’t find what they want. Don’t overthink your design. Sometimes less is more, so only include the most important details. Visitors should be able to know who you are and what you offer within seconds. Stick to a few colors since too many will overwhelm audiences. Put yourself in a user’s shoes and ensure important elements attract the most attention. For instance, don’t make your logo, pictures, or headlines too large or distracting. Remember that white space is your friend, as it allows users to digest content more easily.

2. Mobile Optimization

A lot of web traffic comes from mobile devices. In fact, it accounted for over 50% of worldwide traffic in 2021. This trend continues to grow over the years, so make sure your website is mobile-friendly. Your overall design plays a major role in optimization. Keep mobile users in mind from the beginning and resist the urge to crowd your webpages. Eliminate excess widgets, pictures, and videos. Place buttons at the top, middle, and bottom of your pages. That way, users don’t have to scroll and search for direction. Take advantage of a few contrasting colors, and clearly indicate key calls to action.

3. Effective Calls-to-Action

Websites serve a variety of purposes. More often than not, businesses use them to set meetings, generate leads, and make sales. If these are your goals, calls-to-action (CTAs) are your best friend. They encourage visitors to take an action on your website. These buttons can say anything from “Learn more” or “Book a meeting” to “Buy now” and “Add to cart.” The offerings should be easy to find and crystal clear from a glance. Sprinkle bold, brightly colored CTAs throughout all of your webpages, especially on mobile versions. Again, put yourself in a user’s shoes and consider their experience from the very first click.

4. User-Friendly Navigation

Along with a clean design, great CTAs, and mobile optimization comes simple navigation. A good website provides visitors with useful content that solves their problems. Finding the solution should be so easy that anyone can do it on any device. It should only be 3 clicks away at any point. Try to make navigation instinctive by using clear language like “About” and “Contact.” Depending on how much content you have, consider using drop-down menus when formatting. Breadcrumbs are also great navigation tools for users which reduce bounce rates. These small text paths placed at the top of pages show where you are and how you got there. They allow users to retrace their steps and easily return to previous pages. Breadcrumbs are excellent for ecommerce stores, plus they also help with SEO. A user-friendly website is easy to buy from, simple to explore, and enjoyable to visit.

5. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

We’ve written about SEO in-depth before, so we’ll keep this brief. Most website traffic comes from search engines like Google. The higher a website ranks on search engines, the more traffic it will receive over time. Google ranks websites based on hundreds of factors, including load time, content, and regular updates. There are many elements to a good SEO strategy, but keywords are a great place to start.


Make sure your webpages have relevant keywords in their titles and header tags. Include them in short, descriptive URLs that are easy to read. Proper meta descriptions for webpages also help search engines index your unique content for users. Consider starting a blog page and claiming a Google Business Profile if you haven’t yet. Updating these monthly or even weekly will signal that your website is active. SEO is a long game, and it’s one worth playing. Check your progress often and adjust your tactics. With some time and effort, even brand-new websites can see their traffic skyrocket.


There are many reasons why businesses need a great website. They connect internet users with products and services every day. Knowing what makes a good website gives your company a competitive edge if it's executed properly.

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