5 features all websites should (or shouldn’t) have

It is exceptionally rare, in this day and age, for an established business not to have a website. It just doesn’t happen, it’s corporate suicide! A website is the main port of call when it comes to hunting down a businesses services, contact details and, at the very least, a basic confirmation of their existence.

But apart from just ‘being’, a website must also take into consideration these 5 important features when fitting together the pieces of any web design puzzle.

Your site must be built with Responsive Design in mind.

Since it exploded on the scene, due to the growing variety of screen size, platform and orientation of screens, Responsive Design has controlled the way we view website content. So much so, Google issued an ultimatum back in March 2015 stating all non-responsive sites would likely have significant impact on their search results (meaning they could drop down their search engine list!).

You must have the ability to change content.

Changes are happening at your business. Exciting! You’ve moved to a bigger office, you’ve added some new skills to your service list and your portfolio has grown in both quality and quantity. Congratulations, keep up the good work! So what happens when you can’t show off your expanding skill set and all your old clients are still heading to your old office headquarters? Enter your website CMS. You can quickly update your website with an in-built Content Management System making it easy to keep up with any changes your business is undertaking.

Flash should not play a pivotal roll.

Don’t get us wrong, Flash was awesome. It was all the rage back in the early 2000’s and was taught to budding web and graphic designers alike. However it’s day in the sun is slowly coming to an end as the heavy-hitters of the industry are placing restrictions on the cumbersome platform; which is fast becoming obsolete since the advent of HTML5. If you have a website online, make sure you check it’s Flash free!

Basic SEO integration.

Even the most basic website should have elementary Search Engine Optimisation. The most frustrating thing about SEO is that it takes time, patience and a lot of persistence. Content Management Systems, such as Argon’s favourite WordPress, will be able to help get your started on your SEO journey through a range on online apps and tools. Google Analytics then helps you keep track of all the progress you’ve made!

Social Media presence/links.

You’ve gone to all the hard work of keeping your website up to date, so why not share it with the masses?Showing off your wares on social media is a great way to introduce and inform new and existing clients of any developments to your brand. Having your social media accounts and your website linking with each other makes reaching your audience that much easier.