Looking good is not enough. A good website helps visitors understand quickly whether they are in the right place, and makes the next step easy. These are the points I look at in every project.
Clear within seconds
The top of the home page should say what you offer, for whom and where. No jargon, no empty slogans. If people have to search for it, many of them are already gone.
One clear next step
Whether it is a call, an enquiry or a booking: the most important way to reach you should be easy to find on every page. One clear button beats five equally loud ones.
Works well on mobile
Many visitors arrive on a smartphone. Text has to be easy to read there, buttons large enough to tap and phone numbers callable with one tap.
Fast and accessible
- Images in the right size, so the page loads quickly on the go.
- Enough contrast and clear headings, so everyone can read comfortably.
- Usable without a mouse, for example with the keyboard.
Real content instead of filler
Your own photos, real projects and honest answers to common questions build more trust than stock images and big promises.
A clear structure
Visitors should reach what they are looking for within a few clicks. That works with navigation made of a few clearly named items. Labels like “Services”, “Work” or “Contact” are understood by everyone, while creative names cost attention. Every service that customers search for specifically deserves its own page. That way, visitors coming from Google land directly on the right content instead of a general home page.
- The most important content is no more than two clicks from the home page.
- Every service that customers search for has its own page.
- Headings tell you what the section is about.
- The way to get in touch is on every page, in the header or footer.
Design that supports the content
Good design does not stand out through effects but through how easily you find your way: a calm grid, enough white space, few typefaces and colours that match your brand. Motion can help guide attention, but it should never hide content or slow the page down. People who have reduced motion in their operating system should not see large animations on your website either.
The website should also match the rest of your brand: logo, colours and typeface are the same as on your business card, quotes and shop sign. How a consistent brand identity comes together depends on what already exists.
Copy that answers questions
Most visitors arrive with a specific question: Do you do this? Roughly what does it cost? How does it work? When can we start? The more of these questions your website answers, the fewer follow-up questions you get and the better prepared the enquiries that do come in. I explain how to write this kind of copy in the post Writing website copy.
Being found
A good website is built so that search engines understand it: a unique title and description for every page, a clean heading structure, readable addresses and a sitemap. Add structured data that makes details such as services, location and contact machine-readable. These are not tricks but foundations that every new website should have from the start. More on the SEO page.
More and more people also ask AI assistants for recommendations. The same foundations help there too, as I explain in the post How AI assistants find businesses.
Don't forget the legal side
In Germany, the legal notice (Impressum) and privacy policy must be easy to reach, usually via a link in the footer of every page. Embedded services such as maps, videos or analytics tools belong in the privacy policy, and some need consent first. Fewer embedded services mean fewer notices, fewer banners and usually a faster page.
Common weaknesses
- The homepage talks about the business but not about what customers gain from it.
- Contact details are hidden or only found in the legal notice.
- Stock photos that people have already seen on many other sites.
- Outdated content such as old opening hours, offers or contacts.
- Slow loading caused by large images or many extensions.
Building trust
Visitors decide quickly whether they trust a business. Real photos of you and your work, examples and references, named customer quotes, complete contact details and a maintained legal notice all help. People who can see who they are dealing with are more likely to get in touch.
A website is never quite finished
A good website grows with the business. New services, projects or common customer questions belong on the site. Keeping it maintained keeps it current for customers and interesting for Google.
A short checklist for your website
- Does the top of the home page say in one sentence what you offer, for whom and where?
- Can visitors find a clear way to get in touch on every page?
- Is the site comfortable to read and use on a phone?
- Does it load quickly on the go?
- Are there real photos, examples and answers to common questions?
- Are contact details, opening hours and offers up to date?
- Can the legal notice and privacy policy be reached from every page?
If you hesitate on several points, a closer look is worthwhile. Targeted improvements are often enough; sometimes a relaunch is the better route.
How often should I update my website?
Small updates are part of everyday business: offers, opening hours, new projects. A thorough review is worthwhile when your offer changes, the site looks poor on new devices or hardly brings in enquiries any more. There is no fixed number of years for this.
Do I need a blog?
Not necessarily. A blog pays off if you can regularly answer your customers' questions and have time for it. A few good posts that answer real questions do more than many short ones. If you lack the time, invest in good service pages instead.
How important are my own photos?
Very important. Real photos of you, your team, your premises and your work build trust that stock images cannot. They don't always have to be professional shots, but they should be sharp, bright and current.
How do I know if my website works?
The simplest way is through enquiries: ask new customers how they found you. Visitor statistics and Google Search Console also show how many people come, via which searches and which pages they read.
A simple test: show your website to someone who does not know your business and ask them after one minute what you offer and how to reach you.
