Summary
An amazing website is the result of a carefully planned process, with each step playing a crucial role. From user research to final website testing, every aspect is important. In this guide, we cover 15 essential tasks to help you create the perfect website for your next project.
Introduction
Before you go through our checklist for website design and development, we'd like you to consider these statistics.
53 % of users leave your website if it takes more than one second to load.
Users only spent approximately 6 seconds at the written content giving you short time to retain their attention
On average, users spend 54 seconds on a page.
88% of users will not return to your website once they have a negative experience.
These statistics show the importance of having a well designed and fully functional website.
15 Web Design, and Development Checklist
Creating a fantastic website entails more than just the design; it involves planning, researching, technical factors, and legalities. The following is a 15-step checklist to help you get started and design a good website:
Carry out User Research
First, the key to any website is to know your audience. Before embarking on your web design & web development journey, it's important to understand who your users are and what they want.
User research is the process of getting information about the target group of users in terms of their attitudes, behavior, objectives, etc. Ask your users what they expect to find when they arrive on your home page through surveys, interviews, or evaluation of material that you already have. This ensures that even the design and content suit their needs, making the site fully user-centered.
Perform Market and Competitor Analysis
Even though concentrating on the audience is beneficial, it is equally important to know your competitors. Knowing competitors' websites are useful for defining your strengths, threats, and possible opportunities.
Competitor research also assists in ensuring your Website is as little or better than your competitors in terms of usability, functions, and overall experience.
Plan your Site Layout and make it Responsive
After the research phase on our web design checklist, it's about structuring your Website in terms of pages and sections it will contain. A practical layout improves usability and draws reduced bounce rates, thus enhancing the site's usability and overall user experience. Your layout should be clear and easy for users to navigate to get what they want.
It's also essential that the Website is responsive. Ensuring that users can access it properly both on a desktop and a mobile device, gives you an edge over your competitors that lack a responsive website and helps you rank better on Google and other search engines. A responsive design takes care of the arrangement and layout of content by the operating device, whether a PC, tablet, or mobile device. With mobile traffic increasing, having a site with a responsive design is no longer a luxury but a necessity.
Test layouts using wireframe
A wireframe is a basic layout that lets you envision your small business website or your portfolio website or any other form of website you're trying to create. It can be described as the blueprint for a site's appearance. It enables you to plan the logical arrangement of the sire and create a top-down format without focusing on issues with color and font. It is easy to validate the layouts proposed and know how the users will respond to the different aspects of your site when using the wireframes.
They also check its flow to match the users' expectations, thus eliminating chances of encountering problems in the development process's following stages.
Establish Your Brand
Branding sets your website apart, placing it in a league of its own. It includes elements like your logo, color palette, fonts, and images used in logo design. Your website should embody your brand, its character and core principles. Brand identity is also about consistency—ensure that every aspect of your branding, from the language and tonality used in text from types of fonts used to the specific shades chosen for your logos, aligns with your trademark's established concept.
Register Your Domain Name
Your domain name serves as the address where users can find your website online. It should be catchy, unique, relevant to your content, easy to remember and pronounce. It must also include a valid keyword because that helps you in getting that google ranking a bit sooner than later. Ideally, it should reflect your brand or business name. Choose a short, memorable domain name free of numbers and symbols. Once you have a unique name, purchase it from a domain registration service like GoDaddy or Namecheap, to prevent others from using it. Selecting the right domain name is a key step in our web design and development checklist.
Search For a Good Web Hosting Service Provider
Choosing a reliable hosting service provider is crucial for the success of your website. A good hosting service ensures your website loads quickly, remains accessible at all times, and offers robust security features to protect against potential threats. It also provides the necessary resources and support to handle traffic spikes and technical issues. With the right hosting provider, you can ensure a smooth, seamless experience for your visitors, improve your website's performance, and support its growth over time.
Set Up Your SSL Certificate
An SSL certificate secures the information transmitted between your website and its users. Not only does it protect user data, but it also enhances trust in your site. Furthermore, Google currently favors websites with SSL certificates, which can help improve your site's ranking. The "https" in the URL replaces "http," signaling to users that their information is secure. Therefore, it's imperative that while designing a website you opt for setting up your SSL certificate or choose a web design company that prioritizes getting SSL certificates in the process of making your website.
Optimize Your Images
The use of visual content is essential for better user experience. So, how can we miss this in our web design and development checklist? Well-optimized images can help make the Website more appealing, while low-quality pictures can decrease the overall site performance.
Use images that are appropriate, large, and match your brand tone. Alt tags should also be added to the photos to enhance SEO and make it easier for users needing accessibility options to read the content on the page more effectively.
Adopt an engaging tone to create compelling copy
Effective copy keeps users engaged on your website. The content you present should be clear, concise, and aligned with your brand’s image. The key is balancing informative and engaging text to capture attention and guide visitors through your site.
This messaging should be consistent across your entire website. The copy on your homepage and product pages should be designed to drive users toward a specific action, such as filling out a lead form or responding to a call to action.
Setup Traffic Monitoring tags and make sure tracking code works
To capture user behavior, it's essential to install tracking widgets. These tools, such as traffic tracking, user monitoring, and conversion tracking, provide valuable insights into how your website is performing.
Before launching, be sure to double-check the tracking codes to avoid any issues. The data collected through these tools is accurate, helping you make informed decisions about optimizing your website.
Google Tag/ Google Analytics/ 3rd party plugin Integration
Integrating Google Tag, Google Analytics, or third-party plugins into your website is crucial for tracking and analyzing user behavior. Google Tag Manager simplifies the process of adding and updating tags, such as conversion tracking and remarketing, without needing to modify the website code. Google Analytics provides valuable insights into traffic, user interactions, and conversions, helping you optimize your site’s performance. Additionally, third-party plugins can offer enhanced features like social media integration, advanced analytics, or email marketing tools, providing a comprehensive approach to managing and improving your website’s effectiveness.
Include Site Disclosures
Including site disclosures on your website is essential for legal compliance and transparency. Disclosures, such as privacy policies, terms of service, and cookie consent notices, ensure that users are informed about how their data will be collected, used, and protected. These statements not only help you comply with regulations like GDPR or CCPA but also build trust with your audience by showing that you prioritize their privacy and data security. Clear and accessible disclosures create a more transparent and user-friendly experience, ultimately fostering better relationships with your visitors.
Consider Data Protection Laws
Personal data of the people is kept and processed based on global data privacy laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the EU or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) for California. You should ensure that your Website complies with these laws through compiled measures, including getting the user's consent before collecting the data and allowing the user to wipe out their data.
Conduct Surveys and Beta testing the website
Before going live, it's important to ensure that your site functions smoothly across different devices and browsers. Conduct user testing to identify any usability or interface issues, broken links, or slow-loading pages.
Use the available tools to test if forms, buttons, and other interactive elements are working correctly. It's best to resolve these issues before launching, as doing so will contribute to a positive user experience and help ensure the success of your site.
Conclusion
Exceptional website is more than just visual appeal. A truly great website should not only be visually impressive but also function efficiently, offer easy navigation, and adapt seamlessly to various devices.
Our Web design, and development checklist is an important tool to design, build, and deliver a website.
For building a website that serves as a revenue generating tool for your business, reach out to Eunorial Consulting. We are a boutique web design agency based in the heart of Toronto. With a deep understanding of the local business landscape, we specialize in crafting custom digital solutions that not only elevate your online presence but also drive meaningful growth. Our expert team offers a comprehensive range of services including UI/UX design, web development, copywriting, asset migration, and analytic tag integration.
At Eunorial Consulting, we believe in building long-term relationships with our clients, working closely with you to understand your unique needs and delivering tailored solutions that evolve with your business. Whether you’re a small business looking to make your mark or an established company seeking a digital refresh, we’re here to help you succeed in today’s competitive market. Let’s create something great together! DOWNLOAD THE CHECKLIST FOR A HASSLE FREE OVERVIEW OF THE TASKS AT HAND BY ENTERING YOUR EMAIL HERE.
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