Web site that work key elements of a successful web site

It's a Web, Web World

By Jennifer Beever

In the rush for e-space, many companies created web sites without much forethought. Or, even if they did create a web plan, the companies have not updated their sites to keep up with current technology advances. The content is old and needs updating.

Four out of five web visitors won't come back to a site they just looked at. You need excellent content that grabs them and keeps them coming back. But content takes time to plan, write, edit and perfect. The following are some tips for planning and creating effective web content.

Research, Aim, Fire!
As with any marketing piece, web sites require planning. Work up written objectives and goals for your site, and then create it accordingly. Of course, if you haven't already, you should conduct market research, positioning and branding analysis before you launch your site. If you don't understand your position in your marketplace and the needs of your intended audience, your website will be off the mark.

Web Page Hierarchy
With your marketing intelligence in hand, use an outline to plan the content of your website first. If you think about it, websites are very hierarchical in nature, allowing visitors to drill down to as much detail as they want. For example, the home page may lead to pages about services, your bio(s), case studies, client testimonials, articles you've written, etc. Keep it simple and keep it logical - don't create a maze that confuses your visitor.

Get Their Attention
When you start to write the content for your site, remember that on the web visitors are always a click away - a nanosecond - from leaving your site. As with other marketing pieces, your audience is listening to radio station WIIFM (what's in it for me). On each page create a "grabber" statement, a pertinent quote from an expert (with permission, of course), or a client testimonial that will get your audience's attention. Use bullet points and links to other pages that minimize the appearance of lots of text.

Content is King
Change your content on at least a monthly basis. Add an article or commentary on a subject in your industry. Then, send an email to key contacts with a link to the new information. Dynamic content is what keeps visitors coming back. Some web sites overhaul their entire look every six months; for professional service providers a web site overhaul every one to three years may be adequate.

Make Sure it Works
Keep bells and whistles to a minimum. While new technology is exciting, create your page for the lowest common denominator in web technology. The last thing you want is for an important prospect to have a bad experience when visiting your site. Make sure that your web site developer thoroughly tests your site on all major browsers. And, in the case where a prospect wants to print out your web site pages, make sure you have your company name, phone number, and other pertinent information tied to each page.

Original and dynamic content is not the only factor in creating successful web sites. Make sure your web site programmer knows how to maximize web design for each search engine. Register your site frequently with each search engine. Use email marketing with your URL address to inform key contacts and clients about content on your site. And, make sure your URL address is on every marketing piece you use. You'll find that your site becomes an important part of your company's marketing mix.

This article may be reprinted with permission of the author. Please contact Jennifer Beever at 818-347-4248 or by email, jenb@newincite.com, for permission. Proper acknowledgement of the author, including name, company, and contact information, must be made with use.

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