Primary Website Purpose
Your website needs to have a primary purpose. When you initially setup your website that will probably mean getting visitors to come to your store, or having them contact you.
Whatever the purpose it needs to be clearly articulated to your website visitor. Tell them exactly what they should do. Don't be coy, they will love you for it.
Whatever the purpose it needs to be clearly articulated to your website visitor. Tell them exactly what they should do. Don't be coy, they will love you for it.
Website Design
The design of your Website needs to help the visitor take the action you desire. Remember that a Website is not like a Yellow Pages ad, it does not have to compete with all the other ads on the page.
Once the visitor is on your Website you have their attention. Be careful not to waste that attention by distracting them with flashing lights, scrolling text or sumo wrestlers fan dancing (hey, they are already looking).
So your layout should be simple and clean. Easy one click navigation from a simple navigation bar. Avoid giving the visitor too many options.
It is your goal to lead as many people as possible to the right outcome with as few forks in the road as possible.
Once the visitor is on your Website you have their attention. Be careful not to waste that attention by distracting them with flashing lights, scrolling text or sumo wrestlers fan dancing (hey, they are already looking).
So your layout should be simple and clean. Easy one click navigation from a simple navigation bar. Avoid giving the visitor too many options.
It is your goal to lead as many people as possible to the right outcome with as few forks in the road as possible.
Website Pages
Ideally each page of your website should have a specific goal, which contributes to your Primary Website Purpose.
So your Home Page will introduce people to your organisation and the site. It will then lead them to the next step on the path that you have laid out for them.
Your About Us page should give them a warm fuzzy. Tell them about your organisations experience, reliability and expertise. Make sure you clearly articulate what it is that makes your business the one that the visitor needs to be dealing with.
Your product pages obviously provide details of the products and services you offer.
Each of these pages needs to lead the visitor to the next step in the chain.
So if you want the visitor to go directly from your Home Page to the About Us Page, make sure there is a prominent link so that they can do this. Make sure it is obvious that this is their next step.
Similarly if you want them to go from the About Us Page to a specific Product Page, make sure that this instruction has been woven into the copy on the page and that there is an obvious entry point to the next step. Be very clear and make sure the visitor knows how to do this.
So your Home Page will introduce people to your organisation and the site. It will then lead them to the next step on the path that you have laid out for them.
Your About Us page should give them a warm fuzzy. Tell them about your organisations experience, reliability and expertise. Make sure you clearly articulate what it is that makes your business the one that the visitor needs to be dealing with.
Your product pages obviously provide details of the products and services you offer.
Each of these pages needs to lead the visitor to the next step in the chain.
So if you want the visitor to go directly from your Home Page to the About Us Page, make sure there is a prominent link so that they can do this. Make sure it is obvious that this is their next step.
Similarly if you want them to go from the About Us Page to a specific Product Page, make sure that this instruction has been woven into the copy on the page and that there is an obvious entry point to the next step. Be very clear and make sure the visitor knows how to do this.
