6 fundamental website requirements for 2020

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6 fundamental website requirements for 2020

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This list of basic website requirements is not aimed at web developers but at website owners.

1. No broken links

There is no excuse for having internal 404 errors (pages not found) on your website. They are detrimental to the user experience of your visitors. It is also a good practice to periodically verify all links to internal and external pages. If you use a CMS like WordPress, a plugin like Broken Link Checker can automate this process. Both internal and external links can easily be checked with LinkChecker. Run this before putting your site live.

Conversely, it is crucial to check the validity of incoming links from other websites. If you have changed or removed a page that external links point to, ensure you set up a redirect to another relevant page. This way, you retain the incoming link and the authority it brings, which is very important for SEO

2. SSL is a must in 2020

For several years now, Google has considered HTTPS as one of its ranking parameters. A secure environment protects you from data breaches and sends a clear signal of trust to your visitors. SSL on your web server is therefore the standard. Keep in mind that not just any SSL certificate will do. You need a good certificate and an equally well-configured server.

An SSL certificate doesn’t have to cost much. In the past, SSL certificates were quite expensive. Thanks to the Internet Security Research Group (ISRG), this is no longer the case. With their Let’s Encrypt certificate authority, you can find excellent SSL certificates that are completely free.

3. No mixed content

Now that you have an SSL certificate, you must ensure that all elements are served via HTTPS. There is a high chance your code contains references to elements displayed via HTTP. You can test this quite easily using  Why No Padlock .

4. PageSpeed and YSlow

These are two tools with best practices developed by Google and Yahoo. Thanks to GTmetrix, it’s a breeze to check how well your site scores. Simply enter your website’s URL on their platform, and you’ll receive a percentage score between 0-100 for both PageSpeed and YSlow. As a rule of thumb, aim for a score higher than 75 for both. GTmetrix will provide a detailed analysis of why your score is below 100, enabling you to inform your web developer about necessary improvements.

5. Mobile-friendly

In addition to using GTmetrix, test your website with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test. In 2020 and beyond, you’re likely receiving just as many visitors via mobile phones and tablets as from desktops or laptops.

Another crucial check is whether your site supports valid AMP pages, if applicable. AMP, or Accelerated Mobile Pages, is a Google-backed project designed as an open standard to help publishers load pages faster on mobile devices.

5. Analyze conversion rates

A successful website cannot deliver results without an analysis of its objectives and clearly defined KPIs. Websites are developed with the goal of contributing to business objectives. Through advanced tracking, you can monitor monthly whether your website meets these goals. Such analyses will provide valuable insights into visitor numbers, user engagement, conversion rates, and more.

6. SEO-friendly

Many web developers ensure that your website is SEO-friendly. This includes considerations for on-page SEO elements, loading speed, meta-information, and other parameters essential for SEO optimization. These factors will help position your website at the top of Google’s search results pages.

Need help with your website? The web specialists at Hybrid are ready to assist.