If you have created a new website, there are some rules you should follow. We have compiled exactly these points for you in this article in the form of a website checklist. Because no matter whether you add the SiteDesigner to your FireStorm webhosting or whether you rely on a WordPress website: Some rules must always be fulfilled for a good website. Accordingly, we hope that the following tips can help you to make your new website (even) more successful. – But for now, we hope you enjoy reading this article!

For a successful website, there are a few rules to follow. – To make sure you don’t forget any of them and make your website a success, we have put together a short website checklist.

Rule 1: Your website must be easy to use!

To ensure that your website is easy to use, you should pay attention not only to its appearance, but also to the structure, content, loading times and responsiveness of your website. – Here you will find the website checklist for the first rule:

• Make sure that your entire website has a uniform appearance, so that, for example, 3 to 5 colours can be found everywhere and the images you have selected have a similar style!
• Structure your menus and navigation elements in such a way that every visitor can find their way around and navigate easily on your website!
• Check that your content, such as texts, images and videos, are displayed correctly and that all other elements of the website, such as sliders or contact forms, function properly!
• Optimise the readability of your texts with concise headings, paragraphs, listings and appropriate images – and don’t forget grammar and spelling!
• Check that your website with all its elements, contents and subpages is displayed correctly in all common browsers and, above all, that it loads quickly!
• Also note that the majority of visitors now surf on smartphones, which is why your website should also be displayed correctly on mobile devices – the keyword here is: responsiveness!

Rule 2: Your website must be easy to find!

In order for your website to be found quickly on the internet, you need good search engine optimisation (SEO). You optimise your website and its content so that search engines, such as Google, Bing and others, place your website as high as possible in the search results. – Here you will find the website checklist for the second rule:

• Use free SEO checks or website analyses to get a feel for what is important in search engine optimisation – for example, the SEO check from IONOS or the SEO check from SEOBILITY are recommended here!
• It is best to go through each ranking factor individually and try to improve each factor step by step in the course of your search engine optimisation!
• Among other things, make sure that you use meta titles and meta descriptions or that your images have titles and alternative texts!
• Also enter your website in Google Webmaster Tools and, if applicable, in Bing Webmaster Tools, so that you can regularly analyse your website yourself and keep track of how well your website can be found in the search engines!
• Upload a sitemap and add it to the Google Search Console so that your website is crawled and all pages and sub-pages can really be found!
• You can also read our article about Google’s Core Web Vitals, which are also important ranking factors and should be taken into account in search engine optimisation!

Both usability improvement and search engine optimisation of your website need to be well planned, and our website checklist can certainly help you with that.

Rule 3: Your website must be made known!

The findability of your website depends not only on good search engine optimisation, but also on other marketing measures. These often depend on the available time and financial resources. – Here you will find the website checklist for the third rule:

• Use word-of-mouth and ask people on your website to tell others about it, but also tell people around you about your website!
• Use social media platforms to share your website – both in private chat messages and in public posts!
• List your website in business directories or blog directories!
• Write helpful posts in relevant forums, drawing attention to your website!
• Start a newsletter to provide subscribers with valuable content and attract them to your website!
• If you have some budget, try out ads, such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads, or test offline advertising, such as billboards or sponsorships!

Rule 4: Your website must be data protection compliant!

Data protection has been one of the most important issues in the digital space throughout Europe for many years. Accordingly, you must also fulfil the legal requirements regarding data protection with a new website. – Here you will find the website checklist for the fourth rule:

• Inform yourself about the currently valid data protection regulations at the beginning!
• Then implement these data protection regulations in full on your website!
• Above all, set up an extra data protection sub-page as well as an imprint in which you write all the prescribed information!
• Include an SSL certificate in your website, which is already included in the FireStorm webhosting!
• Use a DSGVO notice in your contact form and obtain visitors’ consent for cookies if you use them on your website!
• Always stay up to date on data protection and make adjustments to your website in good time in the event of legal changes.

Rule 5: Your website must be backed up regularly!

To ensure that your website can be operated successfully for as long as possible, it should not be possible for it to be suddenly hacked or deleted. Therefore, it is important that you secure your website regularly, and FireStorm web hosting supports you in the best possible way. – Here you will find the website checklist for the fifth rule:

• Secure your website and its data regularly with the help of a backup copy or backups!
• Look forward to the exclusive service in FireStorm web hosting, including daily data backup, simple restore points and regular security updates!
• Make sure you have a secure password for your administrator area in the web hosting – and read our article for more password security!
• Keep yourself informed about potential sources of danger as well as security gaps and what you can do against them – also on the FireStorm Blog!

Your website checklist in a nutshell

1. Your website must be easy to use!
2. Your website must be easy to find!
3. Your website must be publicised!
4. Your website must be data protection compliant!
5. Your website must be backed up regularly!

If you follow these five rules when creating a website and implement the individual points of the website checklist presented here, nothing will stand in the way of a successful website. – We wish you much success with your website!

In this article, we have not only compiled the five rules for a successful website, but also a suitable website checklist with many important factors that you can now implement step by step.