Goals many web site projects ultimately fail because they lack clear goals. Determining a goal for your web site isn't difficult; the problem is refining it. Be wary of vague goals such as "provide better customer service " or "make more money by opening up an on line market". These may serve as a good sound bite or mission statement for a project, but details are required. Good goal statement might include something like the following: |
- Build a customer support Web site that will improve customer satisfaction by providing 24/7 access to common questions and result in 25 percent decrease in telephone support
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- Create an online automobile parts store that that will sell at least $10,000 per month of product directly to the consumer.
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- Develop a Chinese food restaurant site that will inform at least 300 potential customers per month of critical information such as hours, menu, atmosphere and prices as well as encourage them to order by phone or visit the location an provide monthly printable coupons.
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| Brainstorming In general coming up with a goal statement is fairly straightforward. the challenge is to keep the statement concise and realistic. In many web projects, team members often want to include everything under the sun in  the site. Remember, the site can't be everything to everyone; you must have a specific audience and set of tasks in mind. A good place to start is at your competitors Websites, preferably the successful ones. This may give you ideas you hadn't thought of, or ideas of how you could improve on and already successful Web site Don't forget your employees, they're the ones on the frontlines. |
| Audience Throughout site development and particularly when goals are being discussed, you should always consider the site's audience. What a brainstorming group wants and what an end user wants don't always match. We need to make sure the site's goals are in line with its users needs. However, to do this we need to accurately describe the site's audience and their reason for visiting your Web site. Here are some basic questions about the site users. - Where are they located?
- How old are they?
- What is their gender?
- What language do they speak?
- How technically and Web proficient are they?
- Are the users disabled (sight, movement and so on) in any manner?
- What kind of connection would they have to the Internet?
- What kind of computer would they have?
- What kind of browser would they probably use?
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Next, consider what the users are doing at the site- How did they get to the Web site?
- What do the users want to accomplish at the Web site?
- When will they visit the Web site?
- How long will they stay during a particular visit?
- From what page will they leave the Web site?
- When will they return to the Web site, if ever?
- How often do they return?
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| While you might be able to describe the user from these questions , you should quickly determine that your site would probably not have one single type of user with a single goal. For most sites, there are many types of users, each with different characteristics and goals. The best way to understand users is to actually talk to them. If at all possible, you should interview users directly to resolve any questions you may have about their wants and characteristics. A survey may be appropriate, but live interviews provide the possibility to explore ideas beyond predetermined questions. |
| Preparing your content The content provides a laundry list of all text, images, and other media required for your Web site design and development. Yes we can help with any or all of these medias |
- Write the text for your Web pages, you know your business and customers better than any one else. We can help if needed. Ask one of our sales reps how you could save up to 15% on Web design cost by simply copying your text to CD.
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- Video- please talk to us before you start, as there are many variables
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- Prepare your images: Product photos, logo art, facility photos, show room photos, menus, production photos, staff photos, and so on. Unless you are already using a professional photographer we would prefer to help. Photography, photo editing, and graphic art is one of our many strong points, and appearance is every thing when it comes to keeping new viewers interested in your Web site
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- Plan Form pages, list information you need to collect: phone, E-mail, address, card number, and so on. Does this page need security?
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We hope this has been helpful and look forward to hearing from you soon |
