What makes a great website? How does the design of a website affect its popularity? If these are just some of the questions that come to your mind read on. Sometimes, it requires a trained eye to find flaws in a website's design. If you are wondering how a website analyst analyses a website or what criteria a website critic bases his opinion on, here are a few pointers to help you make a website that is both commercially successful and gets critical acclaim. A vital aspect in the success of any website is its user friendliness.

If you own an e-commerce website, it is important that all your products are easily accessible. For example, you could boast of having the largest database on the internet, but if it takes a user a long time to find what he is looking for then the database does not amount to much. Look at any successful e-commerce site and you will notice that they have a search feature that allows users to find what they are looking for without much fuss.

As a matter of fact, no matter how advanced your website is, if a critic cannot find what he is looking for when he is reviewing your site chances are your site will not receive a good review. Another thing you need to look out for is that not all internet users have broadband connections. Even in the United States, only 60% of all internet users are using broadband connections; this means if your site is heavy on graphics and does load quickly you are loosing precious traffic.

Make sure that you check your website with various internet connection speeds; many websites actually have a dial-up and broadband version of the same website. An ideal website has to be a blend of speed and features. If you are planning on using newer technology, test the website with all major web browsers like Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Opera.

Website critics also make it a point to test a website with various browsers to see if the website is cross browser compatible. The ideal website has to be a blend of graphics, content and ease of use. Also remember that search engine optimization can translate into website design and content changes. If you are getting a website developed from the ground up, make sure that you allow for search engine optimization based changes. Sometimes search engine optimization requires removing /adding certain components from a website; it is always a good idea to work in collaboration with a search engine optimization firm while your site is being developed. If you are not satisfied with the way your website looks or if you are not satisfied with the traffic your website is receiving, it is always a good idea to get professional feedback.

You can visit websites like www.website-evaluations.co.uk that offer critical inputs on all aspects of a website from the design to the search engine friendliness of the site. Website Audits Just like a financial audit, a website audit is designed to carry out a comprehensive analysis of a website.

A website audit takes into account the user friendliness of the website, the design and other aspects. Once the website has been thoroughly analysed using various criteria, a complete report is created that outlines the various pros and cons of the website. In addition, a website audit also offers suggestions to improve the quality of the website. If you are looking for a comprehensive over view of your website, the best option is to go for a website audit like the one available on website-evaluations.

co.uk . Make sure you discuss the findings with your design and development team so you can make the most of the website audit.

Resource Box www.website-evaluations.co.uk offers website critique services in addition to other website analysis services.

Robert D is the author of this article on Website Evaluation. Find more information about Website Critique Service here.