 10
Design Steps
to an Effective Website
By Sue Mathuen of Prairie Sun CreationsIn today’s competitive
business environment, a web site can be one of the most effective ways to
reach customers. Five years ago, the web was considered an unnecessary
aspect of marketing business, but today, things have changed. The web has
now become such a vital part of promoting business. You’re considered behind
the times (and less sophisticated than your competitor) if you’re not listed
online.
With all the options of look, feel, messaging and e-commerce, the site of
your dreams is dependent upon your personal/business goals and objectives,
likes and dislikes, customer expectations and budget. A few simple steps can
help you build your first web site or revise an existing one:
1) Think About Why You Need a Website - Identify your target markets, what
they want from you online and if they have access to the Internet. Do you
want to establish a presence, improve customer service and expand product
lines and existing advertising? Will it help boost revenue?
2) Start With a Table of Contents - Start listing the basic navigation you
see on your favourite sites in your industry. Then in point form, outline
some of the information you wish to profile in that category. “About Us”
could profile your company history and personal bio, mission and vision.
“What’s New” could promote new product lines, media coverage and awards.
3) Decide 0n Any Interactive Features - Do you want a company email to order
products or request information? Do you plan to have a guest book,
information search, shopping cart, order forms or a calendar of events?
Audio, visuals and animation are also highlights that you might want to
invest in.
4) Check Out the Internet to Research What You Like and What You Don’t -
Keep track of those sites for future reference, making note of the various
features that appeal to you and those that don’t try to be as specific as
possible. Look at what your competition (or similar businesses in
non-competitive cities) are doing, what their sites “feel” like. You don’t
want to copy their concept, but you want to find out what works.
5) Think About Your Site From a Customer’s Point of View - Put yourself in
the seat of your potential customer. What will they look for? Be sure the
navigation is easy to use and information is easy to read. They will leave
your site in seconds if it doesn’t meet their needs. Remember, they’re
coming to look for you and your service/products.
6) Colours, Textures, Shape and Graphics are the Eye Candy - Choose aspects
of your site that reflect your business and personality; fun, classic,
modern, colourful, interactive. If you’ve got current materials, emulate
your site after them to keep your identity consistent. If you’re starting
from scratch, don’t go for the cookie-cutter look.
7) Write With Words That Activate - A company website is not just a brochure
online. The language is different, in smaller chunks and more to the point.
Keep your paragraphs short, dynamic and make sure to add links to words
within the copy to other sections of the site. Regular content updates
either in-house or through your web designer will show customers what’s new
and different.
8) Marketing your site is as important as creating one. You’ve got to tell
people that the site exists to increase traffic. All your marketing
materials, including business cards, signage, invoices, etc., should feature
your web address. Partner with other sites by advertising your link to get
extra exposure. You can also pay extra to have your site show up first with
a search engine.
9) Outline Your Budget and Know What You’re Paying For - A Cadillac site can
set you back up to $10,000, whereas a basic site can begin at $2,500. Make
sure your estimate includes all the writing (if necessary), design and HTML
programming. It may seem expensive, but remember it’s a long-term business
investment which is also a tax write off.
10) Consider Collecting a Database Now - Start collecting email addresses
and contact names of potential and current customers to send out a launch
announcement, and regular emails to promote sales and events.
Sue Methuen, president of Prairie Sun Creations, offers end-to-end web
production & design services & manages a high-performance team of experts.
Contact Sue at 403. 912.0035 or email at
sue@prairiesuncreations.com
|
