Websites throughout the internet have a multitude of designs, purposes, sizes and applicable to what we will be discussing here, quality. Most business websites will vary too, and there will especially be a significant variation in the quality of their web design.
We are going to give you a means of identifying which websites have been created by professional web designers and which have not. The way this is done is using a checklist of 15 essential elements every website should have, Those that have all 15, were almost certainly created professionally. Those that have many elements missing have not.
#1: The Website Has An Overall Purpose – Great web design comes from excellent planning which includes setting a clear objective for the website, and this objective should be obvious when you visit it.
#2: Optimised For Mobile Devices – All top web designers know to design their websites so that they are completely responsive and thus optimised for mobile devices of all kinds.
#3: Easy To Use – When you visit a website and nothing on it, including interactive features, confuses you, or seem difficult, then it is a sign that a professional has designed it with users in mind.
#4: Content Is Appealing – Great web design is not just about visuals. It also applies to content included in a website which should be high quality and appealing to visitors.
#5: It Looks Great – Not a surprise to learn that websites that look great tend to be those where a skilled website design team have created them.
#6: Images Are Placed In Optimal Positions – When you see images randomly placed on websites it suggests the designer was an amateur or simply did not care enough to position them in optimal locations within the website.
#7: All Calls To Action Are Clear – A website’s conversion will not be as high as expected if the calls to action throughout it are missing, weak and ambiguous. Each one should be clear and concise.
#8: Website Is Easy To Navigate – Making a website easy to navigate is something every web design expert knows is crucial to enhance the user’s experience of visiting that website.
#9: It Functions As It Should – Professional web design agencies have programmers and coders who are experts in setting up the elements within the website that make it function and be error-free.
#10: Design On Each Page Is Consistent – The best website designs are those that illustrate a high level of consistency throughout each page relating to layouts, colours, fonts, and branding.
#11: There Is Lots Of Clear Space – Busy websites with dozens of elements on each page to distract visitors and with little clear space are not effective and most certainly the sort of web design that a professional web designer would never recommend to their clients.
#12: The Business’s Contact Info Is Clearly Identifiable – Not every visitor is going to want to submit an email form. Instead, they would rather contact the company directly which is why web designs with clear business contact info displayed convert well.
#13: It Has Been Designed With SEO In Mind – Great web design helps a website get ranked well, and this objective can be seen in a professionally designed website if you analyse any of its onsite SEO.
#14: The Website Has Videos – Videos are hugely popular, boost conversions, and are great content to have on a website. Most professional designers will make use of this fact.
#15: Social Share Buttons Posted On Each Page – The more people know your website exists the more traffic you will receive so giving visitors the chance to share it on social media is a must-have of professional web designs.