This is a checklist for your website and what it could be missing. I first provide the checklist with a basic description of what each point is, then go into further detail with examples later on.
1. SSL
SSL certificates are data files that establish an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. If your website isn’t secure you could be losing business as people may click off your site if they know their data won’t be protected.
2. Design and User Experience
The aesthetic of your landing page is where your user gets their first impression of your website, so you want it to stand out for the right reasons, not the wrong. Your website needs to look good to create the best impression for your business and services.
3. Mobile and tablet optimisation
We all live busy lives, so people usually access websites on the go. If your website isn’t optimised for mobile and tablet then it’ll reduce your chance of success from your website.
4. SEO
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is used to increase a website’s position on search engines results pages such as Google, Yahoo or Bing. Having your SEO set up correctly and strategically helps draw consumer traffic to your website, boosting sales and revenue.
5. Google Loading Time
You can use Google Loading Time to see how long your website is taking to load. In short, you want your website to load as fast as possible. If you get a low ranking on Google Loading Time, you should aim to change that as quickly as possible.
6. Favicon
A favicon is a small icon used in a web browser to represent a website/web page. Although they may appear minuscule in the grand scheme of your website, they have great importance by improving user experience, branding and professionalism.
7. Cookie and Privacy Policy
Your website is required under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to let users control the activation of cookies and trackers which collect personal data.
1. SSL
SSL certificates are data files that establish an encrypted link between a web server and a browser. This means that all data being passed between the web server and the browser remains private and protected. Having an SSL certificate is essential for any website that is requesting or submitting any data.
If your website isn’t secure you could be losing business as people may click off your site if they know their data won’t be protected. Google has announced that SSL also works as a ranking signal, meaning if you don’t have a SSL your website will be harder to find, impacting on your website traffic and revenue.
2. Design and User Experience
This is a critical part of your website which needs to be done correctly as it is how your user views and uses your website. The aesthetic of your landing page is where your user gets their first impression of your website, so you want it to stand out for the right reasons, not the wrong. Your website needs to look good to create the best impression for your business and services.
You want the design of your website to match your branding and to align with what you want to achieve from your website, looking professional and helping achieve your business’ goals. User Experience is key for having a great website, the navigation needs to not only work correctly, but it should aim to make it easy for the user to access and understand.
3. Mobile and tablet optimisation
We all live busy lives, so people usually access websites on the go. If your website isn’t optimised for mobile and tablet then it’ll reduce your chance of success from your website. Over 60% of people accessing the internet are using their phones, meaning if your website isn’t optimised for mobile, you are losing out on 60% plus of potential customers and revenue.
4. SEO
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is used to increase a website’s position on search engine results pages (SERPs) such as Google, Yahoo or Bing. Having your SEO set up correctly and strategically helps draw consumer traffic to your website, boosting sales and revenue.
How can you boost your website ranking? You want to ensure that your website is set up using H1 tags. This makes your website more likely to appear on a search engine when the user searches keywords which are part of your titles.
Your meta description should be written strategically, using keywords to help maximise your website position in search engine results. You can also boost your ranking by making sure the pages on your website use permalinks that are concise to ensure they are optimal.
5. Google Loading Time
You can use Google Loading Time to see how long your website is taking to load. In short, you want your website to load as fast as possible. If you get a low ranking on Google Loading Time, you should aim to change that as quickly as possible. Your website’s loading speed also impacts it’s ranking on search engines and Google is now valuing website loading speed more and more.
What causes a low ranking? Having large file size images can slow down your website. In most cases, you can reduce the file size of images without disrupting their quality. You should aim to have your website load in under 3 seconds. Faster is better, as your site’s speed can contribute to the rise and fall of your conversion rate.
6. Favicon
A favicon is a small icon used in a web browser to represent a website/web page. They are most commonly displayed on the tabs at the top of a web browser but are also found on a bookmark bar, in your history tab and more. As this icon is seen in different places, it’s important that you have one on your website, and that it links to your business’ branding.
Although they may appear minuscule in the grand scheme of your website, they have great importance by improving user experience, branding and professionalism. They act as a visual cue and can make your website easy to locate in bookmarks and in the history tab. Favicons contribute to your branding, so you shouldn’t miss out on the chance to enhance the professional look to your website.
7. Cookie and Privacy Policy
Cookies can be used on websites to retain information such as login credentials and identify customers to provide a more personalised shopping experience. They are also used in website tools such as Google Analytics, which is used to help you analyse in-depth detail about the visitors on your website. Depending on the type of cookies used on your website, you may need to request consent from your users before they use your website.
Your website is required under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to let users control the activation of cookies and trackers which collect personal data. This is because one of the most common ways for personal data to be collected and shared online is through cookies, hence under GDPR cookie consent is the most frequently used legal basis that allows websites to process personal data and use cookies.
