It’s BEAUTIFUL, but does it work?

Posted by Lara Wood on 27 September 2011

So now that we’ve established that you SHOULD have a website – how do you make sure it brings real value to your brand and overall marketing strategy? I think most people would agree that the ”cool” factor is in the design and it’s tempting to go there right away…but there are some less sexy things that you should be doing first to ensure that you are getting the most out of your website.

Understand Your Brand

Whatever you design and build has to be aligned with your overall brand. The brand positioning, personality, tone and manner has to flow through the website and drive the design. When a customer arrives at your site, they should feel like they’re interacting with the other off-line aspects of your business. Online consumers are virtually all multi-channel now, so you can’t fake a new personality online. Your designers and developers are the ones who’ll l make that happen, so make sure they have the info they need.

Know Your Target

Like any other marketing tactic, WHO you’re speaking to will guide HOW you’re speaking. The flow, structure and content of the website should be designed for someone – whether that be your existing customers, potential customers, partners… just decide and keep those audiences top of mind as you put the pieces together.

Listen to the Data…it just wants to help…

One of the best things about marketing in the digital space is the data. Everything is tracked, everything is recorded and if you use this information well it can help you make better decisions. Use analytics to check where people are going, where they’re not going, how long they spend on your site, etc. Ask a hundred questions and let the data give you the answers – it’ll give you answers about your site’s usability and help you to make the right decisions. Figuring out what will drive a good customer experience comes from understanding what doesn’t. Sometimes the data will tell you things you don’t like about things that don’t work…don’t argue with stats…just make it right.

Lay it Out

Once you have all the pieces that you need, plan out the structure and flow of the site. Do you need a lot of content? Do you need to keep it clean? What does your audience want to see vs. what you want them to consume? Keep in mind that writing for the web is different from writing off-line…don’t ramble and assume short attention spans. Plan the structure so that you resist the urge to jump straight to the pretty. This doesn’t have to be fancy or formal…it’s the thinking that counts.

It’s ALIVE…or it should be.

The internet never stands still and this sets an expectation of change and movement. Your website needs to be current. It needs to evolve and change and feel like someone is behind it paying attention. When you are planning the layout, content and design this should be a core consideration.

So I guess the bottom line here is yes…you can get a designer to sit down and come up with something visually fantastic and cool. But there’s a lot more to making it work for your brand, your business and your audience…pretty only goes so far.