Developing the most effective website is a goal for every company today, but many marketers find themselves wrestling with the challenge of figuring out a plan for building their site and turning it into something truly worthwhile. Regardless of where you are in the development of your website — just starting to think about a new site or re-evaluating an existing site — answering the following questions can provide clarity to help you chart a path forward. Perhaps all you need is a basic Facebook presence. Or, maybe a content-rich, multi-media site with many interactive functions is required to achieve your goals. These questions will help you decide that.
- Why do you have a website? What are you trying to achieve with it?
- What is the primary action you want a customer or prospective customer to take when they come to your website? (make a purchase, become a member, find information, etc.)
- How do you measure the success or define the effectiveness of your current website? Do you know if the site is performing for you today?
- What are your customers’ unmet informational needs? Can and should you provide that information online?
- What will a customer or prospective customer find on your website that is of value to them?
- What are the most heavily trafficked areas of your website, and how closely do they relate to your goals for the website?
- What would you change or add to your website today if time and money were no object?
- What do you like and dislike the most about your competitors’ websites? Whose website is of more value to your customers — your site, or a competitor’s site?
- Please finish this sentence: My biggest concern about the future of this website is:
Working through these questions should provide you some clarity regarding the value of your site to your customers and to your organization. If you have come to the conclusion that your website can or should be improved, the next question to ask yourself is how you will enhance your site?
To see examples of websites that Meister Media has developed for clients, please contact your Meister Media sales rep or our Director of Interactive Sales, Bob West, at [email protected] or 440-602-9129.