What makes a good corporate website? A 7-point checklist
A business client looks at your site before they call you. Seven concrete ways to tell whether your site passes that test.
A corporate site exists to build trust, not to look pretty. In the first ten seconds a visitor is looking for the answer to three questions: what does this company do, is it right for me, and how do I reach them.
1. Does the first screen say what you do?
The mistake I see most: a huge slogan on load with a "Learn More" button underneath. A visitor who doesn't understand what you sell won't start scrolling — they'll go back.
Put a clear sentence on the first screen: who you're for, what you do.
2. Does it open properly on a phone?
Most of your visitors arrive on a phone. Does the menu open, is the text readable, can buttons be pressed with a thumb? Test this on your own phone, personally.
3. How many clicks away is your contact information?
A phone number or email address should be reachable from every page. Best of all, fixed in the footer. Every step that forces someone to the "Contact" page is a lost customer.
4. Are your references visible?
A business client wants to see someone else who has worked with you. A logo, a project name, a short description — no need to overdo it, it just needs to exist.
5. Is there a team?
A site that shows there are people behind it earns more trust than one full of stock photos. Even if you're one person, show yourself.
6. How fast does the site load?
Any site that takes longer than three seconds loses visitors. Measuring this is free and takes two minutes.
7. Is the content current?
A site with "2019" in the footer tells visitors "this place might have closed." If the last blog post is two years old, either feed the blog or remove it.
Run the checklist yourself
Tick these seven points off on your own site. If you answer "no" to more than three, the problem isn't the design — it's time to rethink who you built the site for.
- #corporate
- #design
- #conversion
