What Makes a Good Website? The Bits That Actually Matter

A good website does one job well. It turns a stranger who's mildly interested into someone who gets in touch, books or buys. For a small business, that comes down to seven things:

1. It says what you do and where, straight away.
2. It has one clear next step.
3. It loads fast, especially on a phone.
4. The words are about the customer, not about you.
5. It looks like your actual business.
6. It shows you're real and can be trusted.
7. It works properly with one thumb.

Design awards, animations and the latest trends matter far less than people think. Here's each one, with a quick way to check your own site.

Does it say what you do in the first few seconds?

People decide quickly whether to stay. Jakob Nielsen's research found users often leave web pages in 10 to 20 seconds unless the value is clear. If your homepage opens with "Welcome to our website" or a slideshow of stock photos, you've used that time saying nothing.

The top of the homepage should answer what you do, who it's for and what to do next. A yoga studio in Guildford should say it runs yoga classes in Guildford, not "a journey to wellness".

Check it. Cover everything below the first screen and see whether a stranger could tell what you sell and where.

Is there one clear next step?

A good page wants you to do one thing, like book a class, get a quote or call. When "Contact", "Learn more", "Download", "Follow us" and "Sign up" all compete, people often do none of them. Pick the action that matters and make it the loud one. More on this in why nobody is getting in touch.

Is it fast?

Speed is part of the experience. Google's own research found 53% of mobile visitors leave a page that takes longer than three seconds to load.

Check it. Put your homepage into PageSpeed Insights and look at the mobile score. Above 80 is good. Under 50 is a problem, usually caused by oversized images, too many plugins or old scripts nobody remembers adding.

Are the words about the reader?

"We are a passionate team dedicated to excellence" tells a visitor nothing. "Same-day emergency plumber in Woking, no call-out fee" tells them exactly what they get.

Check it. Count how many sentences start with "We" or "Our". Rewrite half of them to start with "You" or with the thing the customer wants.

Does it look like the actual business?

A good site feels like an extension of the real place, not a template with your logo dropped in. A warm, slightly scruffy café should feel warm. A solicitor should feel calm and precise. That comes from your own photos, colours that match your shopfront or van, and words that read like a person wrote them. It's why I design the logo and brand and the website together when a business is starting out.

Does it show you're real?

Strangers are wary, and they should be. Answer "can I trust these people?" before they ask it:

• photos of your real work,
• reviews with names, or a link to your Google reviews,
• your face and name,
• your area and a phone number that works,
• prices, or at least a fair range.

None of it is flashy. All of it matters more than any animation.

Does it work properly on a phone?

Ofcom found that smartphones account for 77% of the time UK adults spend online. "Mobile-friendly" is the minimum. The real test is whether someone can do the main thing (book, buy, call) with one thumb in about ten seconds.

Check it. Try it on your own phone now.

What doesn't matter as much as people think?

How can I test my own site?

Send it to a friend who doesn't know your business. Ask them what you do, who it's for and what they'd do next. Time how long it takes them.

If they hesitate on any of the three, that's your work. Not a redesign, only those gaps.

If you'd like someone else to look, send your site for a free website check and I'll record a short video of the one or two changes that would make the biggest difference. If you need a new site, mine is £300 for four pages with the words written for you.