We've developed a checklist to help you make sure you're aware of the essentials of the web development process.
It's useful for analysing your current site as well as specifying what you'd like to see in a new site. If you're looking to choose a new developer, it's worth enquiring closely into how they plan to address some of these points as well as looking at portfolio sites to see if these standards are reflected in their work.
While a business ticking all these boxes won't guarantee a great site, it should help you avoid the most common pitfalls. Of course, for every rule there's an exception. The best web design firms may go against some of these points at times, but will always have a good reason for doing so.
Domain name & URLs
It's important to know early which domain names are available and buy them if you think there's a chance someone else might. Always remember to check transfer fees and early exit clauses.
- Short and memorable
- Uses Keywords
- Used in email addresses
- Uses Favicon
- Site.com redirect to www. version:
- Alternate Domain redirects
- Home page redirect to root
- No underscores in filenames
- Keywords in directory names
- Multiple pages per directory
- Registered for 5+ years
- Multiple versions:
- Hyphenations
- Misspellings
- Product names
- Brand names
- Type-in keywords URLs
Browser issues
Your site should work across the majority of modern browsers, in most cases looking identical. Remember to ask your web designer whether they support Internet Explorer 6.
- Visible address bar
- Fully functional navigation tools
- Visible status bar
- Site works in multiple browsers
- No browser hi-jacking
- Site logo (click heading for additional details)
- Displays company name clearly
- Isn't hidden among clutter
- Links to home page
- Unique and original
- Use tagline consistently across site
Architectural issues
Your site should be easy to use for everyone, including screen readers and those with visual styles turned off. This is best achieved if your site is built in a modular form, with consistent hierarchies that make intuitive sense.
- Declare doctype (document type) in HTML
- Validate HTML
- Don't use frames
- Alt tag usage on images
- Custom 404 error page
- Printer friendly
- Underlined links
- Differing link text color
- Breadcrumb usage
- Prevent search engines following non-important links
- Validate CSS
- Check broken links
- Page size less than 50K
- Flat directory structure
- Proper site hierarchy
- Unique titles on all pages
- Title reflects page info and heading
- Unique descriptions on pages
- No long-tail page descriptions
- Proper bulleted list formats
- Branded titles
- No code bloat
- Minimal use of tables
- Nav uses absolute links
- Good anchor text
- Text can be resized
- Key concepts are emphasised
- CSS-less browsing enabled
- Image-less browsing enabled
- Summarise all tables
Design considerations
It's all about keeping it clean. Giving your brand room to breathe lets it speak for itself. Keeping content clean and structured conveys confidence and belief in your message.
- Instantly identifiable site
- Crisp, clean image quality
- Clean, uncluttered design
- Consistent colors and type
- Whitespace usage
- Minimal distractions
- Targets intended audience
- Meets industry best practices
- Easy to navigate
- Descriptive links
- Good on-page organization
- Easy to find phone number
- Consistent page formatting
- Avoid text in images
- Font size is adequate
- Font type is friendly
- Paragraphs not too wide
- Visual cues to important elements
- Good overall contrast
- Low usage of animated graphics
- Uses obvious action objects
- Avoid requiring plugins
- Minimize the use of graphics
- Understandable graphic file names
- No horizontal scrolling
- Non-busy background
- Recognizable look and feel
- Proper image / text padding
- Uses trust symbols
- Works on variety of resolutions
- Works on variety of screen widths
Navigation
Clear navigation should allow swift access to frequently used areas, and provide an obvious route to the homepage from anywhere on the site.
- Located top or top-left
- Consistent throughout site
- Links to Home page
- Links to Contact Us page
- Links to About Us page
- Simple to use
- Indicates current page
- Links to all main sections
- Proper categorical divisions
- Non-clickable is obvious
- Accurate description text
- Links to Login
- Provides Logout link
- Uses Alt attribute in images
- No pop-up windows
- No new window links
- Do not rely on rollovers
- Avoid cascading menus
- Keep scent from page to page
- Targets expert and novice users
Content Appearance
Striking, clean and professional content harmonises with your design, is easy to skim, and appeals to everyone.
- Short paragraphs
- Uses sub-headings
- Uses bulleted lists
- Calls to action on all pages
- Good contrast
- No overly small text for body
- No overly small text for headings
- Skimmable and scannable
- Keep link options in close proximity
- Links and buttons (click heading for additional details)
- Limit the number of links on a page
- Avoid small buttons and tiny text for links
- Leave space between links and buttons
- Avoid using images as the only link
- Link important commands
- Underline all links
- Accurately reflects the page to which it refers
Content
Your key message needs to be succinct and engage visitors from the moment they enter your site. While it's great for your content to have some character to support your brand, make sure it still has a broad appeal and communicates effectively and rapidly.
- Grabs visitor attention
- Exposes need
- Demonstrates importance
- Ties need to benefits
- Justifies and calls to action
- Gets to best stuff quickly
- Reading level is appropriate
- Customer focused
- Benefits and features
- Targets personas
- Provides reassurances
- Consistent voice
- Eliminate superfluous text
- Reduce /explain industry jargon
- No typo, spelling or grammar errors
- Contains internal contextual links
- Links out to authoritative sources where appropriate
- Careful keyword usage for search engine optimisation (SEO)
- Date published on articles/news
- Web version of PDF docs available
- Consistent use of phrasing
- No unsubstantiated statements
Home page
This should work as the gateway to all of your content, usually providing a short synopsis of the organisation and what it offers the user, but always guiding to the most requested information.
- No splash page
- Instant page identification
- Provides overview of site
- Site purpose is clear
About Us page
- Adequately describes company
- Shows team biographies where appropriate
- Reflects mission statement / core values
- Up to date information
- Note associations, certifications & awards
- Links to support pages:
- Contact page
- Investor relations
- Company news
- Registration info
- Job opportunities
- Newsletters
- Link to social media profiles
Contact Us page
Remember to direct people to your contact page from other areas of the site. Don't be scared to use your email address here - contact forms reduce spam, but are less personal and may lead some users to think you're hiding.
- Easy to find
- Multiple contact options:
- Phone
- Fax
- Email
- Form
- Chat
- Customer feedback
- Street map
- Hours of operation
- Final call to action
- Multiple points of contact:
- Customer service
- Tech support
- Inquiries
- General info
- Job applications
- Billing
- Management team
- Ad-free
- Form requires only essential info
Help and FAQ pages
You're giving information to people here, and they'll feel frustrated if they can't find it. Make sure help and FAQ pages are updated regularly and that they answers questions which are really going to be asked rather than reiterating selling points. It can also be worth providing a way for users to ask questions that aren't already covered.
- Avoid marketing hype
- Allow Help search
- Provide printable text
- Link to additional resources:
- User guides
- Product support
- Customer support
- Downloads
Forms and errors
To prevent users feeling confused by forms and errors, they should be easily recognisable. So although it's possible to depart from basic system styling here, it's not worth doing without a good reason.
- Flexible entry requirements
- Allow for tabbing between fields
- Proper tab order
- Clear field labels
- Text label above field box
- Only require necessary information
- Minimal instructions
- Instructions above field
- Friendly error output
- Errors obviously indicated
- Errors describe remedy
- Errors provide contact / help option
- Preserve data with errors
- Provide pre-selected choices
- Don't overdo choices
- Note required fields
- Progress indicator
- Progress navigation
- Remove navigation
- Link to privacy information
- Final info verification check
- Confirmation/thank you page
- Stack fields vertically
- Proper use of radio buttons
- Keep "submit" close to fields
- Field boxes adequately wide
- No "reset" or "cancel" buttons
- Autocomplete=off as necessary
- Buttons denote action
Privacy and Security pages
Privacy and security pages reassure people about giving you information. They are most important in online shopping websites where they are a legal requirement in almost every country. They're also worth having wherever you handle user data, including newsletter sign-up forms.
- Present info in easy to read format
- Make information easily scannable
- Provide section summaries
- Identify information types collected
- Explain how cookies are used
- Explain how user information will be used
- Explain how info will be protected
- Provide additional protection tutorials
- Link to these pages in footer
- Provide links to contact info
Site map
Site maps not strictly necessary but become more and more valuable the larger your site. They are useful for search engines and visitors alike. Ensure site and page maps are described well enough to identify their content.
- Keep information current
- Link to site map in footer
- Linked from help and 404 pages
- Provide overview paragraph
- Provide intro to main sections
- Visible site hierarchy
- Descriptive text and links
