From a usability standpoint, these are the main components of what I believe should belong on a website for the widest set of options in a layout.
- Everything needs to be accessible within 3 clicks and 6 seconds.
- Images need to be optimised to the web, but at 96ppi, not 72ppi (which is for older CRT monitors)
- A Content Editor that's got options to handle media and whatever a person could throw at it.
- The template should be able to format most of the content put into it, automatically.
- Mobility scaling in a responsive and fluid manner that keeps all the content available.
- Accessibility so that the website can be stripped of all design elements and look like a basic typed document.
- Privacy and cookie compliance for the global audience the Internet has.
- Back to top site controls for ease of use.
- Google Analytics installed for better site tuning over time.
- Content first approach.
- Organic Keywords instead of stuffing it.
- Whitespace isn't an enemy, but it should be balanced so you're not staring at a giant wall with one or two words on it.
- Put asking for an email address at an appropriate spot.
- Pop-ups and Pop-overs asking to subscribe are tacky.
- Asking to provide notifications from your site is tacky.
- Don't ask for any more information than you need to complete a process.
header
- logo
- statistics/alert bar
- user menu (login/out)
- hero image/slider
- main site menu
main
- umbrella content
- new newsworthy items
- site features menu/section menu
- ability to handle up to 10 columns just in case of galleries or small items.
- footnote content
footer
- a menu of items
- a location map
- contact information including social media
- related content like blog list or gallery photos
- copyrights, credits, and licensing info
- subtle linkback to the designer/developer
layout
From https://designshack.net/articles/layouts/10-rock-solid-website-layout-examples/
I believe the power layout has the best amount of options and can be adapted/simplified into any of the others featured on the page with proper MVC usage. The framework level handles the overall options, and then the design and content layers style the site to the desired look and feel.
- Front Page Layout - this is the the summary page or an overview of the who/what/when/why/where/how content in the site.
- Content Page Layout - this is a typical blog post or service page with desctiptiojns
- Product Landing Page - inbound trackable page that you can promote directly that has overview info and action items on it. Typically promotions/special offers to specific groups.
- Contact Page Layout - this should have multiple ways of contacting you, from physical to digital to telephones and faxes if you have them. This is also where posting your email address/phone number publicly needs to be obfuscated from spammers. **YOU WILL GET SPAM.** It's a fact of life in this day and age. How well you protect this info is how you mitigate the amounts of spam.
- Blog Layout - how many columns etc. It's the pre-cursor to the content page, and as long as you add a semi-regular set of updates, you'll attract the google crawler and possibly get a higher ranking in the search engines. Add some relevant tags, and it might help more.
- Gallery/Showcase Layout - you've got showcases of products or galleries of your adventures, so this is where up to a 10 column layout might be in the best interested so the content flows well.
content
- Tell a story. Past > Challenges Overcome > Present > Possible Paths > Future.
- The design and content isn't for you, it's for the general audience, attracting the people you want out of it.
- write naturally. Don't gimmick it up with sales-ey words and phrases unless they really fit the bill, then explain them if needed.
- don't leave questions on the table. not even "how do I buy".. make it a complete process and leave them satisfied.
- always include an action to perform or a button to push.