Business Fundamentals Series Set
business fundamentals series set
Web Fundamentals: Building an Effective Web Site – the Foundation
Web sites serve many purposes and in today’s fast-paced world of instant information, you have about 2.2 seconds to capture a visitor’s attention before they are off to another site. My Web Fundamentals Series begins with the foundation; building an effective web site and takes you through a step-by-step approach to planning and building a web site, then progresses into helping you launch a successful web campaign. This article touches on a variety of topics and is not meant to be an all-inclusive source but rather a basic guide to arm you with knowledge and resources for building your own site or researching web development companies.
The Planning Phase
Before you begin to build, understanding the purpose of your web site is key. Some questions you may start with are as follows: Is your web site informational only? Will you need ecommerce functionality? Who is your target market – is it for general audiences, specific to a geographical area or vertical market? What is the message you’re trying to convey? Who are your competitors? To get a better overall picture, you might also try brainstorming with colleagues or soliciting feedback from your customer base.
Once the purpose of the site is determined, the next step would be to determine the site’s structure such as navigation, customer logins and access, secondary menu items. At this stage of development, think of your site as a document with main headings and sub-headings. Main headings or menu items should consist of general overview type information, sub-headings or menu items should contain details on specific items provided in the overview pages.
In conjunction with the structure of your site, start thinking about the design and content that will be added. This process can in and of itself require a separate planning session. Some items you’ll need to consider when designing: web standards (W3C – Usability, syntax), cross-platform browser compatibility (will my page appear correctly on Firefox (Mozilla), Internet Explorer, etc.), page loading time – are graphics and images optimized? (This will be covered in more detail in next month’s issue, Part 2: Understanding the Importance of Search Engine Optimization).
Tips for Using Graphics and Images in Your Web Site:
• Graphics and images should have a purpose and be placed strategically with corresponding text. They should only be used to help convey your message.
• Site colors should help establish your corporate identity or brand.
• Consistency in colors and structure should be used throughout the site.
Content is king. Keep your content concise and relevant – remember the 2.2 second factor. People searching for specific information usually want it immediately and generally will not spend time searching through page after page to find it. The key here is to provide enough information to grab their attention and once you draw them in and contact has been initiated, that’s when a more in-depth dialog can begin. Content is also relevant for the placement in search engine results (again this topic will be covered in more detail in next month’s issue).
Important Pages to Include
Privacy Policy. Make this page accessible throughout the site. I suggest a bottom link on every page. A good example of standard policy can be found at www.bbbonline.com
Contact Us. Make this page easy to find and access. You’ll want to make it as easy as possible for interested parties to contact you. NOTE: If you intend to apply for programs such as the BBB Online Privacy Seal or TRUSTe, full disclosure of your contact information is required.
Site Map. If you have a large site, a site map assists visitors in finding the specific information they are looking for. In addition to human or manual navigation, a site map is a useful tool for web crawlers (spiders). This will ensure that all of your pages get indexed in the search results. Google offers a free site map tool.
Terms (Optional). This page depends on the products or services you are providing. If you are building an informational or brochure site, it is probably not necessary to include. However, if you’re offering downloadable information, 3rd party links or products it is advisable to not only have a terms and conditions page but to have it reviewed by a lawyer to ensure your liability is covered.
Choosing a Hosting Provider
There are several hosting options available and with that much competition, the least of your worries would be price. Things to consider when selecting a hosting provider: amount of space and bandwidth, dedicated or shared hosting, Windows or Linux (Linux is open source and Windows is proprietary) and features such as scripts, ecommerce capability, SSL, SQL databases.
Build vs. Buy
This depends solely on three (3) factors: How comfortable you are with your skill set, what type of site you are planning to build, and the time you have to spend developing and maintaining your web site. The web is an ever-changing environment, professional developers make it their business to stay on top of their industry so you can stay on top of yours… no bias here 
.
I hope you enjoyed this month’s featured article. Stay tuned for next month’s issue as I delve into the topic of search engine optimization. To view an outline of the Web Fundamental Series click here
0 comments | Edit Posted 05:50 AM August 24, 2007
About the Author
This article was written by Suzanne Aimee, President and Founder of Able Web Professionals Ms. Aimee has 15-years of administrative and business support experience and has been helping small businesses develop successful online strategies for over 5 years.
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