|
Tips For An Effective Website
by: Steve Lillo
A successful
website is something that everyone venturing
into the new arena of Internet marketing and
communications wants to have. Your website
will often be a potential client’s first
impression of you and your business. That
being said, it is vitally important that
your website represent you in a favorable
manner. Your website is a component of your
overall marketing strategy and should be
reflective of your business and current
marketing presentation. Just as your
brochures and other print materials
represent a level of quality and
professionalism, your website should also
represent that same level of quality and
professionalism. As a point of comparison,
you most likely wouldn’t have just anyone
design your company’s marketing materials or
for that matter, prepare your tax
statements. Similarly, it is important that
the person creating your website know how to
effectively communicate both your message
and style, and be able to create an
effective experience for those visiting your
site.
What does it
really take to have your website be
successful, and what are some of the most
important steps you can take to make that
happen?
1. If you
intend to have a unique domain name for your
website, you must first check to see if it
is available. You can check to see if a
domain name is currently registered at
2. Set a
budget for your website. It is important to
know how much you can spend on your project.
In considering costs, remember that a
website is a complex matrix of text and
images and a professional execution is very
important. As a generalization, the larger
your investment, the greater your return. In
order to spread your investment over time,
you can also grow and expand your website
gradually. Don’t forget to include costs for
promotion and advertising.
3. Determine
the purpose for your website and the
intended results. Does this purpose support
the mission and vision for your company? The
number of options and variables that are
possible in the design of a website are
virtually endless. Without a clear idea of
the purpose for your website, you may end up
putting time, energy, and money into a
project which doesn’t meet your needs. If
you know in advance the results you intend
to achieve, you will be better equipped to
create a website which will achieve those
results.
4. Consider
the design and layout of your website. Is it
easy to use? Does it take too long to
download? Is it easy for Internet visitors
to find information? Does it meet the needs
and expectations of your visitors? Several
smaller pages eliminating the need for
scrolling are often more effective than one
long page. If an Internet visitor doesn’t
have a positive experience of your website,
she/he probably won’t return, or won’t tell
someone else about it. An effective website
often creates a reason for the visitor to
return. This reason can take the form of
unique information that changes on a regular
basis, interesting and useful resources, or
a way for visitors to communicate with you
or with each other. Use your website to
build a relationship with your Internet
audience.
5. Promote,
promote, promote.
No one will
find your site if you don’t let them know
about it. Your site must be posted to search
engines such as Lycos, Yahoo, and Excite.
There are approximately 20 to 30 main search
engines and several hundred that are smaller
or specialized. You can find an extensive
list of website submission sites, services,
and resources at
Include your
website address on all your marketing
materials; business cards, and advertising;
you can even paint your address on the side
of a company vehicle. The idea is to have as
many people see your site address, and thus
your website. You may also consider hiring a
publicist to help you get the word out.
6. If at all
possible, begin your website now. The
companies which have been on the Internet
the longest are those which achieve results
sooner. If you are in an industry which
isn’t widely represented on the Internet
yet, so much the better - you’ll be able to
start off with a larger market share. It's
estimated that there are about 200 million
people using the internet with 75% of them
in North America. Start your Internet
presence today!
About The Author
Steve Lillo author of
Websites That Work! is the President of
PlanetLink, a website design and
consulting firm which specializes in
creating websites which get results.
They also provide their Web Rx Service
for increasing the effectiveness of
existing websites. |
<< Back to "Web Design
Company" Index
|
