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Casual Articles - Designing a Customer Focused Web Site
Some advertisers thought they'd be clever and launch fake blogs (flogs) to promote products. Users quickly find out that these blogs are staged attempts by advertising agencies to create positive viral buzz about their products but it often has the opposite effect.Take Walmart for example. Walmart's ad agency decided it would be a good idea to launch a blog from a couple travelling across the USA. They raved about the Walmarts they had visited. Problem was, they were hired writers and personalities who were being paid to write about Walmart.Soon after the flog launched the jig was up. Suspicious users (because what smart user is not suspicious about what they read on the Web?) figured out quickly that it was all a sham. The result was obviously a massive amount of negative PR for Walmart. The worst thing you can do on the Web is try to trick users; you'll lose customers forever-- an advertiser's worst nightmare.Another much-talked-about flog was Sony'
Once we have a Web site that represents the business effectively in terms of image, content and functionality, what else needs to be addressed? Major considerations in the promotion of the site through search engine listings (not paid or sponsored) are the keywords and key-phrases. Over the past eight years it has baffled me that so many sites are missing this meta-data and have no appropriate page titles. These are essential if potential customers are to find your Web site and offerings. Although it is not obvious to the viewer, the purpose of this information is to provide the search engine with the data they need to place the site in the correct category in the database, which in turn helps the search engine respond to search terms entered by users.
To achieve successful ranking in search engines the title and meta-data must reflect the content of the page it belongs to. Keywords and phrases need to be researched thoroughly, what exactly are your customers likely to enter as search terms into search engines. When writing the content of the page remember that whil
If you are in the pressure washing business and are serious about what you clean on the ground floor, I suggest you attend the WOC. The WOC is the World of Concrete Expo in Las Vegas, which is held once per year. Each year it grows and is now one of the largest trade shows in Las Vegas. We spent two days walking the halls, meeting vendors, potential customers and learning about new materials, cleaners and equipment.The first year we attended the show was the World of Concrete Expo 03' from 02-04-03 to 02-07-03 we cruised the Blitz mobile around the Vegas Strip and into the World of Concrete (WOC) Expo. Talk about information over load, this was the largest Expo for Concrete ever in the history of the world, thus the name World Concrete Exposition was very appropriate. We met people from over 30 countries in attendance and discussed the markets in Europe, South Africa, South America, Australia, Japan and even Russia.http://www.worldofconcrete.com/content/spl
Making your company Web site attractive and popular is more than just putting a picture of the product or a description of the service onto a Web page and publishing it on the Web. There are a host of issues which need to be addressed to ensure success, but before a Web developer is even contracted, the bigger picture of strategic marketing needs to be addressed. It is important to understand that marketing is not sales, strategic marketing provides the structure to help us collate information and through it understand our customers. This is information that we need in order to sell successfully.
Applying this to a company Web site, before any development work is carried out on the Web site we have to be clear on who the customer is and why they are likely to buy. In describing the target customer, such factors as gender, age and socio-economic group are essentials while further information such as technical capability and language level can also be useful.
By carrying out primary market research – and this means not just reading reports or looking at statistics, actually get up from your desk and go and ask your customers - we will be able to find out most of this information offering a greater understanding of the customer profile. Including this information in your design brief puts the Web developer in a much better position to produce a site that the end user will feel affiliated to and comfortable with.
What is the objective of the site? Is it to provide information, to produce direct sales, or just a brochure-ware site showing the company and its capabilities? Is it intended to generate enquiries from new customers or to keep existing customers informed? Objectives will include the detailed information on any existing brand identity and the image the company wants to portray to the world at large. Remember your Web site is now the first port of call for a potential customer. Recent research has shown that viewers will make a decision on the suitability of a company in 20 milliseconds based purely on the image they are seeing on their computer screen. What is your Web site saying about your company? Make sure your Web developer is fully informed.
It is also important to identify the gender of your client base. This has been much ignored to date, possibly to the detriment of many businesses. A recent survey reported that women were ‘Dunces of the dashboard’: many of those surveyed did not understand the purpose of most of the switches or lights on their own car dashboard (BBC Breakfast 3/3/06 Note 1); no comment was made in the report as to why this is, although it just might be because most cars are designed by men. Much research and writing exists on how communication differs between genders; since a Web site is by its nature a communication, it should make sense to have a Web site targeted at female buyers designed and developed by a female designer or team. The same obviously applies to a male audience, if this is your target then contract a male designer to build your site. Recent research at the University of Glamorgan supports this (Note 2); it has shown that gender makes a big difference in the perceptions of the viewer. According to their research over 77% of Web sites showed a predominantly male design, reflecting the higher proportion of male designers in the marketplace. An interesting statistic when according to Judy Hoyt Pettigrew (author of Women Mean Business: The Secret to Selling to Women), as much has 80% of purchases are made by women.
Another consideration is geography and culture. Is the Web site going to be used to target a particular community or sector? Make sure that this is your focus and provide information that is of value to your viewers. Data that helps the decision making process can be the difference between a sale and no sale. In a recent survey from AOP (note 3) over 80% of business decision makers use the internet and the content of Web sites to help make a decision on a purchase. Over half of the respondents also cited their trust in information supplied on Web sites.
Once we have a Web site that represents the business effectively in terms of image, content and functionality, what else needs to be addressed? Major considerations in the promotion of the site through search engine listings (not paid or sponsored) are the keywords and key-phrases. Over the past eight years it has baffled me that so many sites are missing this meta-data and have no appropriate page titles. These are essential if potential customers are to find your Web site and offerings. Although it is not obvious to the viewer, the purpose of this information is to provide the search engine with the data they need to place the site in the correct category in the database, which in turn helps the search engine respond to search terms entered by users.
To achieve successful ranking in search engines the title and meta-data must reflect the content of the page it belongs to. Keywords and phrases need to be researched thoroughly, what exactly are your customers likely to enter as search terms into search engines. When writing the content of the page remember that whils
What IS an OODA loop?John R. Boyd was a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot active during the 1950's. In the 1970's he helped design the F-16 and then went on to promote a concept called the OODA loop.OODA stands for Observation, Orientation, Decision and Action. This is a basic pattern for how we make tactical decisions. Col. Boyd is credited with coining this term, originating and promoting the concept which has become a strategic centerpiece for multiple military campaigns.Many acknowledge that the OODA loop concept is just as powerful in business as it is in the military. But it is just as powerful and simplistic a tool for an individual as it is for these larger venues. Particularly when it comes to decreasing the downtime of employees…particularly revenue producing employees.An organized OODA loop In a paper written by Drs. Ray Curts and Douglas Campbell, they state that "The dilemma of the decision maker within the OODA loop is largely
Applying this to a company Web site, before any development work is carried out on the Web site we have to be clear on who the customer is and why they are likely to buy. In describing the target customer, such factors as gender, age and socio-economic group are essentials while further information such as technical capability and language level can also be useful.
By carrying out primary market research – and this means not just reading reports or looking at statistics, actually get up from your desk and go and ask your customers - we will be able to find out most of this information offering a greater understanding of the customer profile. Including this information in your design brief puts the Web developer in a much better position to produce a site that the end user will feel affiliated to and comfortable with.
What is the objective of the site? Is it to provide information, to produce direct sales, or just a brochure-ware site showing the company and its capabilities? Is it intended to generate enquiries from new customers or to keep existing customers informed? Objectives will include the detailed information on any existing brand identity and the image the company wants to portray to the world at large. Remember your Web site is now the first port of call for a potential customer. Recent research has shown that viewers will make a decision on the suitability of a company in 20 milliseconds based purely on the image they are seeing on their computer screen. What is your Web site saying about your company? Make sure your Web developer is fully informed.
It is also important to identify the gender of your client base. This has been much ignored to date, possibly to the detriment of many businesses. A recent survey reported that women were ‘Dunces of the dashboard’: many of those surveyed did not understand the purpose of most of the switches or lights on their own car dashboard (BBC Breakfast 3/3/06 Note 1); no comment was made in the report as to why this is, although it just might be because most cars are designed by men. Much research and writing exists on how communication differs between genders; since a Web site is by its nature a communication, it should make sense to have a Web site targeted at female buyers designed and developed by a female designer or team. The same obviously applies to a male audience, if this is your target then contract a male designer to build your site. Recent research at the University of Glamorgan supports this (Note 2); it has shown that gender makes a big difference in the perceptions of the viewer. According to their research over 77% of Web sites showed a predominantly male design, reflecting the higher proportion of male designers in the marketplace. An interesting statistic when according to Judy Hoyt Pettigrew (author of Women Mean Business: The Secret to Selling to Women), as much has 80% of purchases are made by women.
Another consideration is geography and culture. Is the Web site going to be used to target a particular community or sector? Make sure that this is your focus and provide information that is of value to your viewers. Data that helps the decision making process can be the difference between a sale and no sale. In a recent survey from AOP (note 3) over 80% of business decision makers use the internet and the content of Web sites to help make a decision on a purchase. Over half of the respondents also cited their trust in information supplied on Web sites.
Once we have a Web site that represents the business effectively in terms of image, content and functionality, what else needs to be addressed? Major considerations in the promotion of the site through search engine listings (not paid or sponsored) are the keywords and key-phrases. Over the past eight years it has baffled me that so many sites are missing this meta-data and have no appropriate page titles. These are essential if potential customers are to find your Web site and offerings. Although it is not obvious to the viewer, the purpose of this information is to provide the search engine with the data they need to place the site in the correct category in the database, which in turn helps the search engine respond to search terms entered by users.
To achieve successful ranking in search engines the title and meta-data must reflect the content of the page it belongs to. Keywords and phrases need to be researched thoroughly, what exactly are your customers likely to enter as search terms into search engines. When writing the content of the page remember that whil
IntroductionIndia is a diversified country having varied range of cultures and customs. The Indian art and craft have become world famous. There is huge demand of Indian embroidered garments. There is huge variety of embroideries done in India, here are few of them which have got more fame in terms of popularity in international market : -Zardozi embroideryZardozi work is an ancient form of embroidery basically done with gold or silver zari threads. It is also known as metal embroidery. Although now-a-days it is also done with colored metal threads. The word ‘Zardozi’ is derived by combining two words Zar and Dozi which in Persian language means gold and embroidery respectively. Therefore it is clear that this art of embroidery was originated in Persia which was bought to India by Moghuls. Initially it was done with real metal threads of gold and silver. It was done on clothes for the rich and royal, wall hangings, bedsheets, etc. In between the appli
It is also important to identify the gender of your client base. This has been much ignored to date, possibly to the detriment of many businesses. A recent survey reported that women were ‘Dunces of the dashboard’: many of those surveyed did not understand the purpose of most of the switches or lights on their own car dashboard (BBC Breakfast 3/3/06 Note 1); no comment was made in the report as to why this is, although it just might be because most cars are designed by men. Much research and writing exists on how communication differs between genders; since a Web site is by its nature a communication, it should make sense to have a Web site targeted at female buyers designed and developed by a female designer or team. The same obviously applies to a male audience, if this is your target then contract a male designer to build your site. Recent research at the University of Glamorgan supports this (Note 2); it has shown that gender makes a big difference in the perceptions of the viewer. According to their research over 77% of Web sites showed a predominantly male design, reflecting the higher proportion of male designers in the marketplace. An interesting statistic when according to Judy Hoyt Pettigrew (author of Women Mean Business: The Secret to Selling to Women), as much has 80% of purchases are made by women.
Another consideration is geography and culture. Is the Web site going to be used to target a particular community or sector? Make sure that this is your focus and provide information that is of value to your viewers. Data that helps the decision making process can be the difference between a sale and no sale. In a recent survey from AOP (note 3) over 80% of business decision makers use the internet and the content of Web sites to help make a decision on a purchase. Over half of the respondents also cited their trust in information supplied on Web sites.
Once we have a Web site that represents the business effectively in terms of image, content and functionality, what else needs to be addressed? Major considerations in the promotion of the site through search engine listings (not paid or sponsored) are the keywords and key-phrases. Over the past eight years it has baffled me that so many sites are missing this meta-data and have no appropriate page titles. These are essential if potential customers are to find your Web site and offerings. Although it is not obvious to the viewer, the purpose of this information is to provide the search engine with the data they need to place the site in the correct category in the database, which in turn helps the search engine respond to search terms entered by users.
To achieve successful ranking in search engines the title and meta-data must reflect the content of the page it belongs to. Keywords and phrases need to be researched thoroughly, what exactly are your customers likely to enter as search terms into search engines. When writing the content of the page remember that whil
As a manager, executive or business owner, you will be conducting meetings and strategy sessions with your employees. And you may discover, as many have before you, that one of your biggest manager/team leader headaches is dealing with the distracting communication style.It seems that in almost every team, there is at least one ‘difficult’ person. His/her communication style tends to hinder the flow of communication and distracts the manager/group leader from the prescribed goals.If managers/team leaders believe that the distracting behavior is a result of their style of leadership, they may feel inadequate or frustrated. It is important, therefore, that they understand these personalities are usually enduring styles rather than transient behaviors exhibited as a result of the team process.In working with numerous managers/team leaders, I have isolated five communication styles. As with life in general, it is the exception that rivets our attention a
Another consideration is geography and culture. Is the Web site going to be used to target a particular community or sector? Make sure that this is your focus and provide information that is of value to your viewers. Data that helps the decision making process can be the difference between a sale and no sale. In a recent survey from AOP (note 3) over 80% of business decision makers use the internet and the content of Web sites to help make a decision on a purchase. Over half of the respondents also cited their trust in information supplied on Web sites.
Once we have a Web site that represents the business effectively in terms of image, content and functionality, what else needs to be addressed? Major considerations in the promotion of the site through search engine listings (not paid or sponsored) are the keywords and key-phrases. Over the past eight years it has baffled me that so many sites are missing this meta-data and have no appropriate page titles. These are essential if potential customers are to find your Web site and offerings. Although it is not obvious to the viewer, the purpose of this information is to provide the search engine with the data they need to place the site in the correct category in the database, which in turn helps the search engine respond to search terms entered by users.
To achieve successful ranking in search engines the title and meta-data must reflect the content of the page it belongs to. Keywords and phrases need to be researched thoroughly, what exactly are your customers likely to enter as search terms into search engines. When writing the content of the page remember that whil
Keeping an affiliate site relevant isn’t easy. You have to make sure your site visitors find your site and its content fresh, and that they keep coming back. As an affiliate or publisher, you have relationships with merchants who expect a certain level of activity (clicks and the ultimate purchases) in order for your relationship to continue long-term. This requires many little changes over time, and some larger ones on a regular basis, at least once a year. After all, you’ve put in all this effort, why not maximize your gain?So, how do you fine tune and keep your site the place your users go back to for authoritative information, and merchants like because of your access to their target market? Poll your site users. Ask them what they like and what’s missing. What they used to like but no longer find relevant. See if the look of you site and its navigation still have the right “feel” for them. Just because it was fine, or even cutting edge a year ago, doe
Once we have a Web site that represents the business effectively in terms of image, content and functionality, what else needs to be addressed? Major considerations in the promotion of the site through search engine listings (not paid or sponsored) are the keywords and key-phrases. Over the past eight years it has baffled me that so many sites are missing this meta-data and have no appropriate page titles. These are essential if potential customers are to find your Web site and offerings. Although it is not obvious to the viewer, the purpose of this information is to provide the search engine with the data they need to place the site in the correct category in the database, which in turn helps the search engine respond to search terms entered by users.
To achieve successful ranking in search engines the title and meta-data must reflect the content of the page it belongs to. Keywords and phrases need to be researched thoroughly, what exactly are your customers likely to enter as search terms into search engines. When writing the content of the page remember that whilst conveying information about the products and services you should include your keywords and phrases - those terms which you have identified are used by your potential customer. It is possible to repeat the keywords and phrases a few times but not too often as the search engines treat this as spam!
Use useful and appropriate page titles - the common use of generic page titles such as “home page” and “contact us” is a waste of keyword opportunity. No-one types “contact us” into a search engine, why would they? Carry out a Web search on these two phrases and see how many there are out there (at the time of writing this was 3.1 billion & 6.2 billion respectively).
Once completed the search engine submission process can start. Whilst time consuming review the search engine you have selected and ask if it is relevant to your industry or whether it is likely to be relevant to your target market. Start with your own country search engines and submit to them – ensuring you are following their terms and conditions. Use of free submission services online is not recommended, consider how they make their money! Local regional and national directories should also be used. Many are free for basic listings but there is often a charge for enhanced listing.
In summary the biggest part of the Web site is in the preparation. If you carry out your research into your customers and understand them then you can build a Web site which they will find useful and will purchase from. Remember who the Web site is for - your customers!
Reference notes
1 Dunces of the dashboard article from the BBC was an AA finance report and information can be found at
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.htm?in_article_id=378822&in_page_id=1879
2 Gender design info Glamorgan University
http://www.glam.ac.uk/news/releases/003056.php
3 Association of Online Publishers survey results
http://ukaop.org.uk/cgi-bin/go.pl/research/index.html
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