Blog Layout

BACK
What Makes a Good Website?
Taylor Tunnison • Jan 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.

Are You Interested In More?

SCHEDULE A MEETING

Share This Post With Your Friends

Latest Posts

08 May, 2024
Imagine your website as your online store. You wouldn't want people to peek in, feel awkward, and then disappear, never to return, would you? That's the bounce rate in action. It's the percentage of visitors who bounce off your site after just one page, like a dropped basketball. The engagement rate is the flip side of that coin. It tells you how many visitors actually stick around and explore. They might click links, watch videos, fill out forms, or browse other pages. The more engaged they are, the better! So, understanding a bounce rate vs engagement rate is important for any organization with a website. Here's why these two metrics are important: 1. Bounce Rate: Your Wake-Up Call A high bounce rate could be a red flag. Maybe your landing page is a snoozefest, your content is confusing, or your navigation is a maze. Thoroughly analyzing your bounce rate helps you identify areas that need work. 2. Engagement Rate: The Sticky Factor A good engagement rate means visitors find your site interesting and useful. They're digging deeper and potentially taking the next step, whether that’s buying something, signing up for your email list, or contacting you. 3. Not All Bounce Rates Are Created Equal Plot twist! A high bounce rate isn't always a disaster. Let's say you have a blog post titled "The Best Hiking Trail in Eastern Nebraska." Someone might land on that page, get the info they need (the trail’s name), and bounce. Well, that's a good thing since they found what they were looking for. You must consider your website’s context and goals, so discretion is key! High bounce rates on product pages or contact forms might be a sign of trouble, while high bounce rates on informative blog posts *might* be perfectly okay. 4. Engagement Rate: Beyond Just Time Spent Engagement rates are about what a reader does on your site, now just how long they were browsing it. Did they click that "Buy Now" button, read your entire "About Us" page, or quickly fill out a contact form? These actions tell a much richer story than just the time your readers gave up. 5. Bounce Rate and Engagement Rate: Better Together Think of bounce rates and engagement rates like cookies and milk, they're best analyzed together. A high bounce rate with a low engagement rate suggests there's a problem. But a high bounce rate with a decent engagement rate might not be as bad as it seems. 6. Know Your Audience Who are you trying to attract to your website? What are their goals? Once you understand your target audience , you can better interpret your website’s data. For example, if you run an online store selling luxury goods, you might expect fewer visitors overall, but a higher engagement rate from those who do visit. They're probably more likely to be serious about buying something than somebody composing their wish list on Amazon. 7. A/B Testing: Your Secret Weapon A/B testing lets you experiment with different versions of your website and see which one has a better bounce rate and engagement rate. Maybe you test two different headlines for your landing page or try out a new navigation bar for maximum impact. 8. Don't Get Fixated on One Number Bounce rate and engagement rate are valuable tools ( KPIs ), but they shouldn't be the only ones in your toolbox. Look at your conversion rates (the percentage of visitors who take a desired action), average time on page , and traffic sources. 9. It's All About User Experience In the end, the goal is to create a fantastic user experience. You want visitors to be engaged and keep coming back for more. By analyzing your bounce rate and engagement rate, you can identify areas for improvement and make your website a welcoming, informative, and user-friendly space. 10. Deep Dive with Analytics Tools Most website platforms have built-in analytics tools that track bounce rates and engagement rates. There are also powerful analytics platforms like Google Analytics that provide even more detailed insights into user behavior. What is a Great Way to Boost Your Bounce Rate vs Engagement Rate Ready to make your website a bounce-free zone (well, almost) and boost its engagement? Well, True North Technologies can help! We're a digital marketing agency passionate about crafting websites that convert. From SEO optimization to killer content creation, we have the expertise to help your website shine .
By Derek Oss 02 May, 2024
Imagine craving a caffeine fix and strolling past your favorite coffee shop. You then see an ad later that day for the exact same coffee shop, offering a discount just for you! Or maybe you're scrolling through online stores, checking out the latest sneakers, and bam! Ads for those same shoes start popping up everywhere you look. Spooky, right? Maybe a little but trust us, you’re not Jason Bourne and no command center is following your every step. It's actually a clever marketing strategy called geofencing, and it's changing how large and small businesses reach their customers. Understanding Geofencing Geofencing creates an invisible boundary around a physical location, like your favorite store or gym. This tactic allows marketers to establish these virtual perimeters using GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular data, or IP addresses . When someone with a smartphone enters or exits the designated area, they can receive targeted messages, notifications, or even banner ads. It's essentially a personalized billboard that follows you around (virtually, of course). The Power of Reaching Customers at the Right Moment Geofencing's strength lies in its ability to connect with potential customers at the best time. Consider a scenario where you're walking past a sporting goods store right before the weekend. A geofenced ad might remind you to pick up some new baseball gear for a kid's game or hiking gear for the nearby trails. With a well-crafted landing page , a great ad can be the deciding factor to make a conversion for people who check your site out! This is the power of geofencing – highly relevant marketing that cultivates targeted actions. Creative Applications of Geofencing With vast possibilities, geofencing is being employed by businesses in innovative ways, as seen in the following examples: Retail Stores: Attract customers with special offers or announcements about new product arrivals. Restaurants: Target nearby office workers with happy hour deals or entice passersby with a complimentary appetizer. Gyms: Motivate gym goers by offering discounts on memberships or personal training sessions when users are near the facility. Event Venues: Remind attendees of upcoming concerts or conferences. Competitor Targeting: Subtly nudge potential customers towards your store when they're in the vicinity of your competitor's location (always maintain a professional tone). Addressing Privacy Concerns It's understandable to feel apprehensive about location tracking. However, users must opt-in to some mix of location services, cookies , and privacy agreements for it to function. Additionally, geofencing is anonymous – it tracks users within a designated area, not their entire whereabouts. Tailoring Your Geofencing Strategy Geofences aren't a one-size-fits-all solution. Marketers can achieve highly targeted campaigns through various methods: Radius Fences: Create a circular perimeter around a specific location, like a store or park. Polygonal Fences: Define a custom shape for even greater precision, ideal for targeting specific areas within a building or shopping mall. Implementation and Cost Considerations While geofencing offers immense potential, it's not a DIY project that businesses can slap together. Partner with a marketing agency that’s assembled the necessary tools and expertise for effectively executed campaigns. The cost varies depending on the campaign's size and complexity.  However, compared to traditional advertising methods, geofencing can be a highly cost-effective way to reach a targeted audience. Plus, your campaign can be tracked in real time, so your team can tweak things on the fly to get the best outcome.
What is Retention in Digital Marketing as shown by a graphic of a magnet attracting people.
By Derek Oss 24 Apr, 2024
Built your dream website, but rivals are stealing your audience? Learn more about what is retention and how you can regain control...

Interested in valuable marketing content?

Sign up for our weekly newsletter!

Share by: