Chromatic Sites shows us the steps to create a successful Web site. The idea is to verify if we fulfilled them, or not.

The steps are:

Planning

• Find a niche in the market with a preferably low level of competition
• Develop a business plan
• Choose a good domain name
• Choose high quality web hosting

Design/Layout

• Basic website elements: header, navigation, content/body, footer
• Logo and branding
• Attractive design
• Avoid information overload
• Effective color scheme
• Develop focal points
• Attention to line height
• Readable font size
• Use of white space/negative space
• Strong home page

Usability/Accessibility

• Usable, easily accessible, and consistently placed navigation
• Flash-free navigation
• HTML Site map
• Check for dead, broken links
• Test the website on real users (beta test)
• Compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
• Minimal or No Usage of Flash

Content

• Unique content, presented in an exciting, straightforward manner
• Regularly update content
• Break content up with headings, captions, images, videos
• Allow user interaction

Website Optimization/Standards

• Website is standards compliant/cross browser browser compatible
• CSS, minimal use of tables
• Validate website’s CSS/XHTML
• Optimize page size (images, content, video, audio)
• Clean code for updating/multiple programmers
• Scripts placed near bottom of page code
• SEO friendly

Search Engine Optimization/Marketing

• Website monetization
• Basic website promotion (press releases)
• Submit website to directories (dmoz, Yahoo, BOTW)
• Newsletter/RSS feed – subscription
• Write articles and submit them to niche specific article submission sites
• Analytics
• XML Site map