An Effective Website: The Wrong Path
There is a saying: “before climbing a ladder, make sure the ground is solid and that you’re climbing the right wall.”
It seems straightforward, but many companies start climbing without asking the right question. They end up going down a path that is more complex than required. They also waste time and money. And worst of all, they will create an ineffective website.
So what’s the wrong question? Asking, “What do I need in a website?”
Tell the truth. Isn’t that the question you asked yourself? You let that question generate a list of “requirements” that you took to your web developer. Most developers worth their weight will deliver exactly what you want, how you want it. Because that’s what you paid for! You’ll have a launch party and everyone will celebrate the beautiful creation.
Then it happens. You notice the website isn’t effective. But why? It’s because you climbed the wrong wall.
Here’s the question that will put you on the right wall: “What does my visitor need in a website?””
Effective websites, no matter what industry, are for their prospective customer/audience, not for person that paid to have the site built. Provide them with what they need in a format they want. If you do that, you make it easy for them to find the information they need and that turns in to business for you.
When you focus on the visitor, internal company opinions and preferences disappear. Everyone’s focus is on the visitor, not their ego.