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Building blocks of a successful online presence

Part 1, Planning and developing your Web site

According to a 2008 interactive marketing study conducted by Avenue A/Razorfish, 89 percent of American consumers (in varying degrees) do Internet research before they make a purchase. Of that percentage, nearly a third always research online. Now more than ever, you need to pay very close attention to your business’ online presence, so those 210 million Internet users don’t pass you by.

Building, maintaining and growing a strong presence online is key to a healthy bottom line. Think of your Web site as your brick-and-mortar building that houses your business. Would you invite customers to visit your business if the building was fit to be condemned? Of course not. In part one of our series, we will be reviewing the top three ways to plan and develop a solid foundation for your business’ Web site:

Organization

At the most basic level, your Web site should be organized in pages or “sections” similar to a printed brochure. Ask yourself what the main questions and expectations your client/customer base has about your type of business, and begin to divide your messaging up along those lines. Intro, company profile, products, services, contact location, etc. Break the information down into easily discernible amounts, but not so much so that it is fragmented. Remember, with the prevalence of search engines, most of your Web traffic won’t enter your Web site through the home page. Search engine traffic to your Web site is another vital concern you’ll have after your Web site goes live, and it is important you hire a professional that can help you navigate the issue.

Navigation

Of course, your navigation should fit the organization (Site Plan or Site Map) that you establish. But navigation is much more than an index bar; it’s the spinal column of your Web site’s functionality. Your goal is to make the flow of information from page to page logical and recognizable. The less clicks an Internet user has to make to find what they are looking for the better, and if each “step” in the information chain flows without being disjointed, then you’re Web site sits on a solid foundation. Web sites don’t have the formal A to B to C flow that printed material has, so you have to consider each page in relation to all other pages, not just the ones that immediately follow and precede it on the navigation bar.

Style & Design Assessment

Just because your Web site is digital doesn’t mean you should give it some kind of different “interactive” style. Brand consistency encompasses all your marketing and advertising efforts, so it’s essential your Web site’s style (colors, message, tone) is consistent with your offline style. If it doesn’t work on one, it won’t work on the other, so if need be, take the time to update your company’s brand so it works universally online and offline.

When you’re through with the planning and development stages, what comes next? Next month, we’ll be looking at specific areas of your Web site’s functionality, like Interface Friendliness and Ease of Purchase.

Editor’s Note: Article courtesy of DSL Marketing. If you have questions regarding development of your Web site, or marketing in general, visit AskDSLMarketing.com today.