Planning a Successful Website

A successful website must have clearly identified goals and compelling content that encourages your audience to explore deeper into your site. In addition, the site must be easy to navigate and attractively designed to complement your content. Here are important considerations when planning your site:

Site Planning
When planning the organizational framework of the website, there are 3 concepts that require your attention:

1. What the audience wants from you
2. What you want to say
3. How you arrange the content to best meet your audience’s needs

Site Content
Most content on the Web is gathered in short passages. Users appreciate short “chunks” of information that can be located and scanned quickly. This method translates well to the Web for several reasons:

1. Few Web users spend time reading long passages of text on-screen
2. Chunking can help organize and present information in a uniform format
3. Concise chunks of information are better suited to the computer screen. Long pages tend to disorient readers and require users to scroll long distances.

The content should focus on potential and current client’s needs. People visiting your site are only concerned with their needs—not necessarily what you have to offer. Copy should reflect the true business value that you deliver to your clients.

Site Design
The design of your site should offer relief to the eye by striking a balance between text and graphic elements. Photos can reinforce the text message as well as add a more “personal” element that would breathe life into your site.

Consistency
A consistent approach to layout and navigation allows users to adapt quickly to the site design and predict with confidence the location of information and navigation controls across the pages of your Web site. Omnipresent logos and contact information should be consistently displayed on all pages of the site.

Compelling Choices
Never assume your visitors will click past the home page. They’ve arrived at your site somehow and for some reason. Now give them several compelling choices to encourage them to click further into the site before