The Elements of An Effective Web Site

Plan Purpose, Appearance, Content, Functionality

Are you planning to create a business web site to market and sell your product or service? Allow me to give you a helpful check list that will assist you in your web site planning.

Whenever I acquire a new web design client, I try to sit down with them (either in person or in email) and go over what I consider to be the most important elements of an effect web site: Purpose - - Appearance - - Content - - Functionality.

Purpose

We begin by discussing the purpose behind your web site. Are you going to be selling a product or a service? Sites to sell a product are quite different than sites for a service business. Let's examine those differences.....

Selling Products:

A web site to sell products can be an extension of your current retail store, or it can be an online store which stands alone as your complete business. Online stores have much less overhead than physical stores and they have the added advantage of being open 24 hours a day to receive sales!

A Service Business:

4. Appeals to the target audience - - planning of design and content is everything. Use text to SELL.

Appearance

2. Pleasing to the Eye - background, coordinated graphics, title banner & navigation buttons.

Content

1. Planning is everything - number of pages and topics/themes.

3. Reflects the personality of the owner and protrays the product in the light intended. Project the professional image you desire. "Brands" the owner. Sell yourself.

5. Plan how to get visitors to come back. Find a way to get their email addresses.... use free gifts.

5. Designed to maximize search engine optimization. Meta tag, title, file names, keywords

Functionality

6. Links cover subjects intended - navigation buttons easily viewed and accessed to every page on the site, ON every page of the site, as well as text links to all pages on the site.

7. Room for expansion with growth of company.