What Defines a Quality Website  

by: John Overall

Many people think that just having any type of website for their business is good enough but having a poorly done site can be worse than having no site at all. Many businesses have their site created as inexpensively as possible, often paying their neighbors kid or doing something similar to create their site. Yes, they may have saved money on the initial site creation but is it costing them more money in the long term.

It is important to remember that your web site is your front door to the world and it is often the first impression people will get of your business. Over 73% of Canadians, are online and over 45% of those users are turning to the internet, as their first place to search for information on products and services before making a purchase. With this in mind, there is a good chance they will see your site. It is important to remember that your web site may be the first impression that a potential client gets of your business even before they talk to you.

With over 25 million people online in Canada alone it is becoming the norm for someone to turn to the internet first when they are researching the buying of any product or service. Many will turn to the internet even before they reach for the all familiar yellow pages phone book. Consumers are doing more and more shopping online as the holiday season of 2005 can attest to with over 1.9 billion expected to be spent online by Canadians alone not including the billions being spent online in other parts of the world.

This is causing a revolution in how we think about buying and shopping for products and services. We want information when we want it whether it is 2pm or 2am and. The internet has provided this for us.

With this in mind, it is important to remember the old adage “You only get one chance to make a great first impression.” This is never truer than it is online where your competition is only a click and a few seconds away. If your site is poorly done they will turn from your business to your competitors. Having a quality web site vs. a poorly done one can mean the difference between making the sale or not making the sale.

One of the questions I am often asked is what is a quality web site and how do I tell if mine is quality? To answer this we need to cover several areas.

What do consumers need in a good quality website? They need one that is pleasing to the eye, and one that is easy to navigate! In other words they want to find what they are looking for quickly and easily. If they don’t find it with you they will surf elsewhere to find what they want. The site must always work and be there when they want it. It must load in a reasonable amount of time since users will generally only wait about 10 to 20 seconds for a page to load if it takes longer, they will move on.

A website must also present your business as a professional entity especially if you offer professional services. Think about if you were to walk into a business to buy a product or research a purchase in person what would you expect to see.

For products, you might expect things like:
1. A well lighted shopping area so you can find your way)
2. Easy to read Signs above the isles (clear directions to sections such as toys, house wares)
3. A generally clean environment
4 .Properly labeled shelves for the products (what is on the shelf is reflected in the labels)
5. Having what you are looking for (you wouldn’t go to Canadian Tire to find fresh produce)
6 .Easy ability to find someone to help you if needed (easy location of contact information)

If you where to walk into a professional office in person what would you expect to see?

You might expect things like:
1 .A well dressed reception person. (professional looking not someone in jeans and a t-shirt)
2. A well dressed professional (professional in appearance i.e., in a suit and tie).
3. Clear directions to the person with the information you are looking for.
4. A properly educated professional. (you would not expect to go to a law office and get information on home inspections)
5. Ability to make an appointment

These all translate to a web site in the following manner:
1. Proper usage of colour and text contrast (not mixing black background with yellow text)
2. Clear and proper navigation that leads to the correct places
3. Limited use of flashy graphics and advertising so as not to detract from the message of the site.
4. Making sure, the content and products on the site reflect the business being represented. (not saying you have widgets when you only sell spigots)
5. Easy location of company contact information and an easy way for them to contact you such as a form they simply fill out.

Keeping users coming back to your site is also important. This is accomplished though the use of valuable content. Customers use content to aid in their decisions to purchase your product or help with using your product after they have bought it.

I have heard many clients say “I don’t sell anything online or my services need a personal touch what would I use a website for?”

This is where providing information that is useful and of high quality is important by providing quality content your clients will come to trust you as an expert in your field and not only continue to use you, but will refer you to their friends.

You can use your site to answer many of their most frequently asked questions about your product. You can also set up an online contact system where they can contact you for more information or even book an appointment.

Therefore having a quality web site is very important to a business. The quality of a site is determined by how well it is put together using correct colour usage, complete easy to use navigation. Clean design that is not cluttered and distracting, having quality content that is relevant to the business being presented though the site.

Important Items in a quality design:
1 .Correct colour usage and proper contrast of text.
2. Easy to use and find navigation.
3 .Limited clutter on site all items placed have a reason for being there not just, because they are cool.
4 .Limited use of flash and other technologies that can slow down a site.
5. Useful and relevant information about your products and services. It is also a good idea to provide tips and information that your clients can use.
6 .Consistent navigation from page to page do not alter placements of links for main navigation of site. Also, provide a good site map so that when they want to find something specific that can just pop in there.

Smart Bomb Enterprises creates websites that meet these standards at a price that is fair and affordable. Making sure that your site meets your needs and your business is properly presented in the online world.

The internet has penetrated our lives in multiple ways and its expected to only increase its effect on our lives. This is changing how people research and buy products and services. So it is important to choose your designer with the same care you choose your lawyer, your accountant, and your financial advisor by making sure that the service you get from them will benefit you and your business.

About The Author John has a diploma in Applied Communication from Camosun College. He is also the founder of www.smartbomb.ca & www.smartbombhost.com His educational background is in the area of graphic design, web design & hosting. dragon@smartbomb.ca Permission is granted to reprint & reposte this article provided all links remain intact.

This article was posted on September 6, 2005

 

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