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welcome to the difference machine. 5 tips for a successful siteThe old era of the web — in which it was a major feat to build a site that displayed properly in all browsers — is, thankfully, long gone. Any competent developer will build you a site that works, and they’ll all use the same technologies and procedures to do it. The buzzwords (CSS, standards compliance, Ajax, SEO, etc., etc.) no longer really count for much. We’re all doing the same things. What really matters in today’s web is the quality and quantity of your content. That’s what will bring people to your site. And that’s what will enable your site to do what it’s supposed to do: communicate. Simply having a site is no longer enough. You need a site that can cut through the static and make a strong impression. That’s where you should focus your attention, and your money. (click tabs to view panels)
1: Get a good content-management system (CMS)
A CMS will allow you or your staff to add and edit content, as easily as posting to Facebook. This is the key to a dynamic site…and good Google rankings.
We use one of the best — ExpressionEngine — which does everything imaginable, and includes an array of effective marketing tools. A site with these capabilities is equipped to grow into the future…and attract a large and enthusiastic audience. It costs a bit more, but it’s well worth it in the long run. 2: Don’t drink the KoolAid
Beware, especially, of anyone promising to boost your Google rank with search-engine optimization (SEO) tricks. Google pretty much works the way it’s supposed to: It directs people to sites with useful content. If your site is worth coming to, Google will find it…and people will come. If not, gaming the system won’t accomplish a thing: Even if the tricks work (which, by and large, they don’t), bringing people to an empty site won’t help you communicate your message. Which is, after all, the objective. Right?
Similarly, keep in mind that quantitative measures (though important) aren’t what really matters in the long run. It’s not simply the number of people who come to your site, or friend you on Facebook, or follow you on Twitter. It’s the quality of the connection you achieve - measured by the effectiveness with which you communicate your message...to the people you’re actually trying to reach. 3: Pay enough
While it’s certainly possible to get a 24-year-old to build you functional website for $1,200, it’s not likely to produce the results you want...and need - if you want to have a strong and effective web presence.
Building a distinctive and carefully planned site takes time...and requires expertise. If you want a site that will stand out from the crowd, you need an experienced design team...and they need to spend a lot of time getting to know you, your business, your target market, your competition - and putting all of that together into a site that really works. Your site is an investment, and if you scrimp on it you’ll ultimately reduce your return. 4: Work with friends
A website, unlike a printed brochure, is never done. Or at least it shouldn’t be. The whole point to engage in an ongoing conversation with your audience…and to adapt as new opportunities emerge.
It’s more like a marriage. The people who build your site will — or, again, should — be an important part of your life for a long time. Once your site is launched, you’ll notice things that could be improved, or have ideas of how to use it in new ways. This is perfectly healthy. Everyone does it. The important point is that this is an ongoing process…so it helps if you like your developers. And if you feel that they are as fully committed as you are to making your site excel. And if they listen to your ideas and concerns, and work with you to create the site you want…and deserve. 5: Design matters
Programmers are capable of many wonderful things, but good design is rarely one of them. A quick browse through the web, any day of the week, is enough to prove that point: The vast majority of sites are a cluttered mess of texts and images and links and ads and video clips, all tossed together like the digital equivalent of a salad. And, even worse, it’s the same damn salad everywhere you go: banner at the top, links down the side, long scrolling text in the same dull font, and usually too small to read.
Not surprisingly, most sites are “designed” by programmers. Which usually means they are assembled from the perspective of code, not from any real understanding of (or concern for) the experience of actual people trying to read (or watch) actual content. The good news is that, because so many sites are so ugly, a well designed site really stands out — and makes a lasting impression. Which is, of course, the point of the exercise. |
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