The functions needed for a website depend on the purpose and scope of the site, but at a basic level, every website should have the following core components to function properly and provide a good user experience:

Domain Name

  • The website’s address on the internet (e.g., www.yourbusiness.com). It’s how visitors will find your site.
  • Important: The domain should be easy to remember, relevant to your business, and ideally, short and brandable.

Web Hosting

  • A hosting service where your website files (HTML, images, videos, etc.) are stored and made available on the internet.
  • Important: You need a reliable, secure hosting provider to ensure your website is accessible 24/7. Popular hosting providers include Bluehost, SiteGround, and HostGator.

Website Design/Structure

  • Homepage: The first page visitors see. It should clearly communicate the purpose of the site and guide users to key areas.
  • Navigation Menu: A simple and clear menu to help users easily find other important pages like “About,” “Services,” or “Contact.”
  • Basic Layout: A clean and user-friendly design with well-organized content. The layout should be intuitive and easy to navigate.

Essential Pages

  • Homepage: The landing page that introduces the website and its offerings.
  • About Page: Information about the company, business, or individual behind the website. It helps build trust.
  • Contact Page: Provides visitors with ways to reach you, such as a contact form, email address, phone number, or physical address (if applicable).
  • Terms of Service/Privacy Policy: Basic legal pages (especially important for businesses) to inform users of your terms, privacy practices, and data handling procedures.

Content

  • Text Content: Clear and engaging text that describes your business, products, or services. This content should be concise, relevant, and written with your target audience in mind.
  • Images: High-quality images that help support the design and content. This can include logos, product photos, and any other visual elements that enhance the user experience.
  • Call-to-Action (CTA): Clear buttons or links prompting users to take action, such as “Contact Us,” “Buy Now,” or “Learn More.”

Responsive Design

  • Your website should be mobile-friendly. This means it should adjust properly on different screen sizes, from desktop computers to smartphones and tablets.
  • Important: A large portion of internet traffic comes from mobile devices, so ensuring your site looks and works well on all screen sizes is essential.

Basic SEO

  • Basic search engine optimization (SEO) includes:
    • Title Tags and Meta Descriptions: These are short descriptions of each page that help search engines and visitors understand the content of the page.
    • Optimized Images: Properly sized images and alt text to improve page load speed and make the site more accessible.
    • SEO-friendly URLs: Simple, readable URLs that include relevant keywords.
  • Important: This is key for helping your website show up in search engine results (like Google).

Analytics Setup

  • Google Analytics or another analytics tool to track website traffic, user behavior, and other important metrics.
  • Important: This helps you monitor how visitors interact with your site and assess its effectiveness over time.

Security

  • SSL Certificate (HTTPS): Ensures that data transferred between your site and visitors is secure. Google Chrome, for example, marks websites without SSL as “Not Secure.”
  • Important: SSL is essential for building trust with your visitors, especially if your site involves transactions or collecting sensitive data.

Optional but Highly Recommended:

  • Social Media Links: Links to your social media profiles to encourage cross-platform engagement.
  • Email Signup Form: If you plan to collect emails for newsletters or promotions, an email sign-up form is essential.
  • Blog or News Section: To share updates, articles, or news, which helps with content marketing and SEO.

In Summary:

At the very minimum, a website needs:

  1. A domain name and web hosting.
  2. A homepage, basic navigation, and essential content (text and images).
  3. Key pages like About, Contact, and Privacy Policy/Terms.
  4. Responsive design for mobile access.
  5. Basic SEO to help people find your site online.
  6. Analytics setup to track visitors and performance.
  7. Security with an SSL certificate.

These basic elements will give you a functional, accessible website, providing a solid foundation to build upon and grow your online presence.

See our Contact Us page and let us know more about your goals.

Aderant Expert Consultant Services