Is your Web Site effective?
The answer, without hesitation, should be a resounding yes! Did you hesitate before answering? Could it be because you don't know? Well, let's spend a couple minutes here and briefly define an effective web site.
1. The effective web site produces traffic consistently.
This may seem obvious on the surface, but it do you know how much traffic your web site produces on average by visitors, say on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis? Is it steady, rising, or declining?
2. Visitors return to the web site.
People return to your web site speaks volumes for your web's effectiveness. People simply don't return to a useless web site.
3. Visitors find the site easy to use and navigate.
Sadly, even some of the largest and busiest web sites on the planet are poorly delivered and difficult to use by their visitors, but succeed despite themselves because it may be the only way to do business. Most web sites can't afford this luxury. You should strive for a site that doesn't make people have to think to find what they are after.
4. Visitors are seeing the most important pages regularly.
The effective web site presents the important content first. Good designs ensure that all content presented with forethought rather than just randomly placed on the pages. Even your navigation label order should match the priorities of your viewers.
5. The web site rarely has any bad links or errors.
For obvious reasons, bad links and errors are a big turn-off and are potentially fatal if bad links and errors become too numerous.
6. Most popular search engines and directories have indexed the site.
While advertising will "pull" traffic to your site, many visitors will find your site by one of the popular search engines. If you're listed. The only way you can know that you are listed is to check. Alternatively you can hire a company to perform this and other related services on your behalf.
7. I know where most of my many web referrals come from.
When it comes to promoting your site, you simply must know how your visitors are finding you.
8. The web site provides fresh useful content regularly.
Think about it. Why would you visit web sites that never add, or update, any information? There are exceptions, but not many.
9. Contact information is visible and multifaceted.
When your visitor is ready for contact, you they can figure it out instantly, from wherever, and whenever, they choose.
10. If commerce: The customer can find and buy easily and effortlessly.
This is self-explanatory. It is frustrating to know what you want and cannot figure out how to buy it.
In Summary
This is a high-level list, but it is a good starting place. So, how exactly do you go about sorting out the answers to each of the questions about your web site's effectiveness? Well, that gets a little bit more complicated. That's where a good consultant can pay dividends for your company. Careful log analysis and a little technology will answer some of the other questions. Others need some significant effort and empirical expertise to figure out. One note is that it is difficult to assess you web site on your own. After a while, one fails to see the flaws and problems that an outsider will notice immediately.
You may well have won awards with your artistic, innovative space-age design and graphics, but who cares if your not getting the business you need or want? It's hard to eat awards. It is most important to remember that what we think about our web site is always less important than our visitors opinion about our site!
KeyResults specializes in marketing and sales communications services and support. Our experts, specially equipped with tools and experience, will help you get the most out of your web site. Visit us on the web at http://www.KeyResults.com
Contact us to learn more about how KeyResults Internet Services might benefit your business.
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