Life-Saving Tips to Launch Your Startup’s Website

Everybody needs a website today. Period!

There is no counter argument to that. Nope, a mere Facebook page is not your website, and Instagram should not be your only digital existence.

Having said that, owning a small business will mean that you are to encounter budgeting issues. That will be a major obstacle in creating a website that is appealing as well as fully functional to cater your customers in the best way possible.

So those running a startup, go ahead nonchalantly with website designing and usually end up with something that is not quite appropriate. The key is to follow a formula, a set of guidelines, powerful tips, that work every time and for everyone.

While it may not encompass the individual needs of defining a distinguished brand identity, but it can surely give you a kind of roadmap of what needs to be done once you have already decided to go digital. Here are life-saving tips that can take your startup website from “Okay” to something “Spectacular” that stands true to your business.

Layout for navigable websites

A layout is the basic design feature that you need to take into account. Think of it like this: Without having this as a strong foundation, everything will be at risk. It is because only a layout will tell how your entire website will look like.

In order to give your visitors a seamless experience, you need to figure out a smooth layout so that they do not have to wander about wondering where and how to get where they need to go.

To be able to do that successfully, you will be needing a professional logo to identify yourself. Then the products and services you sell should visibly be a part of your website. Optimally position the images and make them responsive so that they can be easily viewed on devices other than the computer.

Compatibility with various devices

Did I mention other devices earlier? Yep, I did. Today, the Internet is accessed via various devices and browsers. With mobile phones becoming increasingly common, people are fulfilling their fundamental browsing needs on their smartphones and tablets only.

This means that you need your website to be optimized for mobile users. While there are so many ways to do that, responsive web design is considered as one of the best and most effective of techniques.

You will also be needing to optimize the CSS across your site for a smoother experience and get your code done correctly for a no-glitch journey. No compromises on the user experience.

Functionality for a fluid experience

When today’s user enters a website, she immediately expects a fluid experience.

One of the many reasons of bounce rate are glitches that ruin the smoothness of the experience you worked so hard in providing. This makes it a big no for nurturing real time leads.

Remember that 55% of total visitors who hit your page spend less than 15 seconds on your website. This must be alarming for you. A website that took so much time, energy, resources and finances, and so less time to judge it all?

Happens to everyone for that’s how it is. The visitor won’t care unless the website acts as a friendly solution to a problem she is facing. So optimize your functionality to cater better to the user and reduce bounce rate as much as you can. But what would you really do? First things first, avoid 404 redirects and broken links. All internal and external links should be working correctly and be pointing to relevant websites. Avoid linkage to resources that offer little or no value to the customer. Also, don’t forget about having the links open to a new page (in case the visitor doesn’t lose access) and any pop-ups that you can be easily closed. You need your visitor to be at peace while browsing and not worrying about trivial matters all the time that may cause them to lose their patience (and cool).

Website loading speed

Remember, time is of the essence. So when the matter is that of a website loading speed, you need to take this into account that your visitor’s time is valuable. A larger percentage of visitors abandon a website due to slower loading times. Yes, it is THAT frustrating.

Instead of doing that, ensure that you make use of high-quality servers and the number of images, animations, and any flash content or media on the page is not excessive. Also, avoid going overboard with the plugins. If you are unable to compromise on some of the things mentioned above, the least you can do is have your above-the-fold content load quickly. The rest can take a few seconds longer.

Content is king

So no arguments here, content is king. It is actually the lifeblood, what gives your website a sense of credibility and integrity.

Since content is how you express yourself and how you reflect your business’s personality and vision, having an A+ quality is of utmost importance. No compromise in professionalism whatsoever. You may also consider using jargons targeted to your audience or a language that is simple but a mediocre quality is definitely a BIG ‘No’.

So what could you possibly do to increase the readability of your content? Avoid any spelling or grammatical error and that could only be done via proofreading. Use captivating titles to engage your audience and break it up into digestible pieces. Bullet points will help you in doing just that.

For an even better visibility, also ensure that you have used a lighter background throughout the site and complemented dark fonts with it.

Conclusion

The set of tips mentioned above are the guidelines that will help to create a foolproof startup website. Just keep an eye on the petty matters (that have a bigger impact) like proofreading everything that you produce or plan to place on your website.

Also remember to add a little extra: that aesthetic appeal that will get those heads turned. That could act as a real ice-breaker. After that, let the rest of the elements take control.