Five key parameters for running a successful website

In today’s digital world a website has become an inevitable part of the marketing strategy. Irrespective of its size, type, and concern, every organization needs a website to showcase its online presence. Creditability, Convenience, Constant Connectivity, Communication, and Cost are the 5 Cs of reasoning to have a dedicated site.

By providing a platform to communicate with each customer individually, a website offers the opportunity for personalized interactions and better connectivity, which in turn boosts credibility. Quite easier to manage with minimal expense as compared to other channels a website is also highly convenient for all types of marketing and promotional initiatives. However, be it an e-commerce portal or a site for any other purpose, some essential parameters need to be analyzed while managing and running it successfully.

1. Content and Messaging

Your website gives you an opportunity to showcase your brand through the different type of content such as:

•  Product details (images, description and demonstration manuals or videos)
•  Promotional content (details about campaigns, discounts, and coupons)
•  Promotional events (videos, live streaming or press release)
•  Blog
•  Testimonials

By making the content unique and attractive, a website can be ideally used to build the brand’s image among the consumers. However, it’s important to note that every piece of content on the website must be accurate and reliable, as any discrepancies can damage the reputation of the brand instead of building it. So, any kind of product/service related commitments or messages published on the website should be supported with due diligence from the concerned teams and authorities.

Also, the brand messaging should be consistent across the entire website and must match with core brand values. The language used to convey the value proposition should be exciting, easy to understand and should be able to relate strongly to the target audience.

2. Stability and Technical Excellence

A website with regular downtime issues and technical glitches would not just affect the confidence of the users, but also have an adverse impact on the brand’s image and the bottom line. Downtime can be reduced by following a series of critical steps such as:

•  Opting for a reliable DNS service
•  Backing up the data regularly
•  Deploying a dependable maintenance service

All type of issues such as Navigational errors or logical discrepancies should be avoided with regular maintenance procedures. Aiming for technical excellence with instant correction of issues is the ideal way to achieve a stable website.

3. Speed and Robustness

Nothing is more frustrating for a user than to wait forever for a site to open. Be it a simple static website or a highly complex eCommerce portal; it has to be optimized to open on the user’s device with minimum delay. Irrespective of the type of the connection, users always expect to find the information they need from a website. While it is challenging to design a website that works with a low-speed internet connection, it is important to develop the primary components in a way that makes them accessible by a majority of users in most circumstances. Such robustness can be achieved by developing the website on a sound framework and with cohesive technology.

4. Aesthetics and Functionalism

The aesthetics are an essential aspect of a site that can have a profound influence on the users’ ability to make a choice. An aesthetically designed website would always be preferred against a clumsier alternative, which in turn would help to promote the brand perception. However, designers usually confuse aesthetics with hi-end design patterns and eventually end up compromising on simplicity. It should be noted that simplicity and elegance, with a core focus on functionalism, have a vital role in maximizing the aesthetic value of a site.

5. Accessibility and Usability

An innovatively designed website may not be able to achieve its objective if the usability is compromised for some highly intricate features. If users find it difficult to comprehend and use the website features, they might deviate towards the competitors. Also, using components that can be accessed only on the latest generation of devices might run the risk of making the site ineffective. Making the website responsive in terms of both the design and performance has already become necessary. Hence, it has become increasingly important to tune the sites regularly to optimize the crucial aspects of functionalism and usability.