Best Practices for Creating a Company Website
Vistage International (formerly known as TEC, The Executive Committee) interviewed Ken Sethney for an article on best practices for developing a web presence. This is a summary of that interview.
What are the best practices for creating an effective online presence?
Focus on solving problems for the people you want to use your site. They may be customers, prospects, employees, sales reps, or some other group. Every time you solve a problem for them, you will benefit. If you focus on solving your problems, your internet initiative will fail. Your internet strategy should be clear, concise and focused on measurable results.
When it comes to building a website, what should CEOs be responsible for and what should they delegate?
The CEO should set measurable goals and objectives, draft a bullet point business plan, and delegate everything else to a project manager.
How do you choose a project manager?
Look for someone who understands your business plan and is willing to accept responsibility for reaching your goals.
What are the key steps in building and maintaining a website?
The internet changes so fast, you've got to keep things simple.
- Write a bullet point business plan, no more than a single page.
- Start small. Build fast. Launch something.
- Find out what customers like/don’t like.
- Keep what works, trash what doesn’t.
- Repeat.
This is a 60 to 90 day cycle. Be ready to tear up your business plan and start fresh every time.
What are the "must-have" elements of a successful website?
- Total focus on customer experience. On the Web, your customer has complete control. “Customer experience” is a strategic decision.
- Easy navigation. Customers visit your website to solve a problem, theirs not yours. Don’t make them guess how to do it or they will try somebody else.
- Clear, concise copy writing. Look the reader directly in they eye. Talk directly to him. Don’t hold back, don’t try to BS him... it just won’t work.
- White space. Silence. BB King is “king of the blues” because he knows when not to play. In the arts, silence is truly golden. Great websites include all the text and graphics they need to help the customer get what he wants. They leave out everything else.
What are the most common Web mistakes?
- Focusing on products not customers. 0n the design stage, ask how text and images help customers get what they want. When the site is launched, ask customers to sit down in front of a computer and look over their shoulders as they try to solve a problem (e.g., find a product that meets their needs; place or track an order; get answers about terms, price and availability, returns, installation, support).
- Bleeding edge technology. Some of your customers may have ancient computers, low-resolution monitors, slow Internet connections, older Web browsers, and insufficient RAM. Why risk it? Make the fancy stuff optional, not a requirement for using your site.
- Leaving out the important stuff. On the Web, customers decide what’s important. If price and availability are important, they won’t be happy unless you provide up-to-date information. Make sure your site invites feedback. Some will be hostile, but listen to it anyway. Your customer are trying to tell you what’s important.
- Hype. Nobody want’s to be sold anything anymore. Do you? If a website tries too hard to sell, people will simply click away. Instead of selling, make sure your website makes it easy to buy.
- Lack of promotion. Websites are invisible until someone sits down at a computer, logs on to the Internet, and types in a Web address. Make sure your marketing people know how to drive people to your website. If they don’t, find some who do. (It is highly unlikely that you will find them in your IT department.)
Contact Ken directly to schedule a presentation.
