There is a widespread assumption that this topic is straightforward, but the reality is more complex. What distinguishes a serious website from an amateurish one? It’s not individual elements but the combination of structure, design, content, and technical implementation. This article describes the commonalities all professional websites in Switzerland share.

The 8 Core Characteristics of Serious Websites

1. Clear Structure and Information Architecture

Why important: Visitors must find what they’re looking for within seconds. Confusion leads to bounce.

Characteristics of good structure:

Main navigation (maximum 5–7 points):

  • Home
  • Services
  • About us / Team
  • References / Projects
  • Contact

Logical hierarchy:

  • Main pages in main menu
  • Subpages in submenus
  • Maximum 3 levels deep

Example poor structure:

Navigation: Home | About us | What we do | Our team | Our philosophy
            | Our values | Our history | Service A | Service B
            | Service C | Service D | References | Blog | News | Contact

(16 points, no hierarchy)

Example good structure:

Navigation: Services | References | About us | Contact

Submenu "Services":
- Consulting
- Implementation
- Support

Submenu "About us":
- Team
- Philosophy
- History

Breadcrumbs for deeper pages:

Home > Services > Consulting > Strategy Consulting

2. Professional, Consistent Design

Why important: Design isn’t luxury but communication. Poor design suggests poor quality.

Characteristics of professional design:

Typography:

  • Maximum 2–3 fonts
  • Clear hierarchy (H1, H2, H3)
  • Readable font sizes (min. 16px for body text)
  • Sufficient line spacing

Colors:

  • Consistent color palette (2–4 main colors)
  • Sufficient contrast (for readability)
  • No garish, distracting colors

Whitespace:

  • Generous use of whitespace
  • Clear visual separation of areas
  • No “cramming” of page

Images:

  • High-quality, professional photos
  • Consistent image style
  • Optimised (fast loading times)
  • Alt texts for accessibility

Responsive Design:

  • Works on all devices (desktop, tablet, mobile)
  • Touch-optimised on mobile devices
  • Readable without zoom

3. Error-Free, Precise Content

Why important: Typos and poor texts massively harm credibility.

Quality criteria content:

Spelling and Grammar:

  • Error-free texts (proofreading!)
  • Consistent spelling (Swiss High German)
  • Correct punctuation

Clarity:

  • Understandable language (no unnecessary jargon)
  • Concrete statements (no empty phrases)
  • Structured texts (paragraphs, lists)

Tone:

  • Professional but not stiff
  • Appropriate to target audience
  • Consistent across all pages

Example poor:

“We offer creative solutions for the digital transformation of your company through strategic positioning and all-round approaches to process optimisation.”

(Empty phrases, no concrete statement)

Example good:

“We help SMEs digitise their business processes. Specifically: We analyse your workflows, identify automation potential, and implement suitable software solutions. Result: 30–50% time savings on administrative tasks.”

Why important: Legal completeness is mandatory and trust signal.

Mandatory elements:

Imprint:

  • Complete company name (incl. legal form)
  • Commercial register number
  • UID number
  • Complete postal address
  • Phone and email
  • Authorised representatives

Privacy Policy:

  • Which data is collected
  • For what purpose
  • User rights
  • Contact point

Cookie Banner (if necessary):

  • Information about cookies
  • Consent option
  • Rejection option

Terms and Conditions (for e-commerce):

  • Delivery conditions
  • Payment conditions
  • Right of withdrawal
  • Warranty

Placement: All legal texts linked in footer, maximum 1 click away.

5. Technical Quality

Why important: Technical deficiencies frustrate users and harm SEO.

Technical quality criteria:

Performance:

  • Fast loading times (< 3 seconds)
  • Optimised images
  • Efficient caching
  • Content Delivery Network (for international audience)

Security:

  • SSL encryption (HTTPS)
  • Current CMS and plugins
  • Regular security updates
  • Backup solution

Functionality:

  • All links work
  • Forms send correctly
  • Downloads work
  • No error messages

Browser Compatibility:

  • Works in all common browsers
  • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
  • Also older versions (fallback)

Mobile Optimisation:

  • Touch-friendly controls
  • Readable without zoom
  • Fast mobile loading times

6. Transparency and Traceability

Why important: Transparency builds trust, intransparency arouses suspicion.

Transparency elements:

Service Descriptions:

  • What exactly is delivered?
  • How does the process work?
  • How long does it take?
  • What does it cost (framework)?

Team and Contact Persons:

  • Who works here?
  • What qualifications do they have?
  • How do I reach whom?

References:

  • Concrete projects
  • Measurable results
  • Verifiable (with contact or link)

Prices:

  • At least price ranges
  • “From CHF X”
  • Or: Price calculator / configurator

Processes:

  • How does collaboration work?
  • What are the steps?
  • What’s expected from clients?

7. Currency and Maintenance

Why important: Outdated websites suggest outdated companies.

Currency indicators:

Content:

  • Blog is maintained (at least quarterly)
  • News section is current
  • References are current (not just from 2015)
  • Copyright year is current

Design:

  • Modern design (not older than 3–4 years)
  • Current design patterns
  • No outdated elements (Flash, etc.)

Technology:

  • Current CMS
  • Modern web technologies
  • SSL certificate valid

Warning signs for outdatedness:

  • “Last modified: 2018”
  • Copyright ”© 2015”
  • Last blog post from 2019
  • References only from 2014–2016

8. Clear Call-to-Actions

Why important: Users must know what they can do next.

Good CTAs:

Visible:

  • Clearly recognizable (color, size)
  • Prominent placement
  • Present on every page

Concrete:

  • “Book consultation now”
  • “Request quote”
  • “Free initial meeting”

Not:

  • “Click here”
  • “Learn more”
  • “Continue”

Placement:

  • Hero area (topmost visible area)
  • End of content areas
  • Footer
  • Contact page

What Serious Websites Do NOT Have

1. Automatically Playing Music/Videos

Problem: Annoying, unprofessional

Exception: Video after explicit click

2. Aggressive Pop-ups

Problem: Disrupt user experience

Better: Exit-intent pop-ups (when leaving)

3. Excessive Animations

Problem: Appears amateurish, distracts

Better: Subtle, purposeful animations

4. Hidden or Complicated Navigation

Problem: Users find nothing

Better: Clear, unambiguous navigation

5. Stock Photos Pretending Authenticity

Problem: Stock photo as “our team”

Better: Real photos or none at all

6. Too Many Different Fonts and Colors

Problem: Appears chaotic

Better: 2–3 fonts, consistent color palette

7. Placeholder Content

Problem: “Lorem Ipsum”, “Image coming”

Better: Less content but finished

8. Missing or Broken Functions

Problem: 404 errors, defective forms

Better: Test everything before go-live

Checklist: Is Your Website Serious?

Structure & Navigation

  • Clear, logical navigation (max. 7 main points)
  • Breadcrumbs for multiple levels
  • All pages maximum 3 clicks away
  • Search function (for extensive websites)

Design

  • Consistent, professional design
  • Responsive (works on all devices)
  • High-quality images (no pixelated photos)
  • Sufficient whitespace
  • Readable fonts and colors

Content

  • Error-free texts (spelling, grammar)
  • Concrete, understandable statements
  • Current content (blog, news, references)
  • Copyright year current
  • Complete imprint
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookie banner (if tracking cookies)
  • Terms and conditions (for e-commerce)

Technical

  • SSL certificate (HTTPS)
  • Fast loading times (< 3 sec)
  • All links work
  • Forms work
  • Mobile-optimised

Transparency

  • Concrete service descriptions
  • Team page with real people
  • References with details
  • Price transparency (at least framework)

Trust Signals

  • Contact options (phone, email)
  • Certificates / memberships (if present)
  • Real references
  • Guarantees / warranty

Call-to-Actions

  • Clear CTAs on every page
  • Concrete calls to action
  • Well-placed visibly

Credibility Starts With Your Website

Being legally compliant isn’t optional but mandatory. Requirements are manageable:

  1. Imprint – complete and visible
  2. Privacy policy, adapted and current
  3. Cookie banner, for tracking/marketing cookies
  4. SSL, standard today
  5. Professional design, consistent and modern
  6. Error-free content, proofread and precise
  7. Technical quality, fast and secure
  8. Clear CTAs, concrete and visible

A professional website today isn’t optional but prerequisite for successful business.

Check your website using this checklist. Where is there room for improvement?