Ivy Sea Online: Is your web site worth its weight in gold?

Have you ever visited a web site that flashes, blinks, toots and spins, yet has minimal information or value for you, the user? These sites are a good example of developers focusing on the technology when developing communications, instead of concentrating on the purpose and content of the communication to ensure it’s effective.

That’s like creating a marketing brochure or newsletter by rounding up all of the colors, fonts and clip art you can find without offering any information about what value you offer your customer. By creating a site that looks like a ransom note and gives your visitor nothing but a headache, you’ve alienated an audience hungry for valuable information, and possibly lost a sale, referral, alliance or repeat customer.

• Missing an opportunity: The ubiquity of the web has translated into a totally new way to familiarize clients and employees with your products, services, mission, etc. If you let technology take precedence, you’re missing a key opportunity to build a lasting relationship and connect with customers and top-tier talent.

• Creating confusion: If your online messages are different from those clients and employees experience, you’ve got trouble. Your audience might see you as untrustworthy, and you might be helping the grapevine grow (which fills any voids in correct, consistent messages).

• Sending the wrong message to a key audience: People who seek you out on the web are a willing audience primed for your message. By highlighting technology tricks and downplaying value to the user, you’re letting opportunities slip away — often generating an incorrect impression of what your organization does and why.

• Hindering the flow of communication: Downloading heavy images and executable files can take forever and even crash a connection. Disgruntled visitors aren’t likely to return.

• Misrepresenting your organization: Unless your organization is an online circus, it’s hard to imagine how most could benefit from an overload of needless technology bells and whistles.

• Focus on the purpose of the communication: Clarify the audience, determine key messages. After assessing these factors, decide whether the web is the appropriate vehicle or not.

• Get feedback: What do your customers and employees want from your web site? Ask them.

• Play to the lowest common denominator: Test your site using a variety of systems, browsers, modems, etc. to ensure everyone who wants to visit your site can navigate it conveniently. Even now, there are many people using older computer systems, software and connectivity options.

• Ensure the content fits the medium: Respect the opportunities and limitations of online venues. Most people don’t want to scroll through pages of text looking for a single reference. Use links, anchors and pop-up windows — only where necessary — to give people access to the information without forcing them to weed through it.

• Ensure that technology serves the user: That a web designer thinks an element is cool isn’t a good enough reason to use it on your site. Every element of your site should serve a purpose: offering value to your site user.

• Be conscious of your image: Use the look, feel and tone of the web site to attract like-minded people and to help build strong relationships with these audiences. Ask your colleagues and clients to provide feedback on how well the site demonstrates who you are and what you do.

• Create content that makes a connection: Plan your content just as you would a newsletter or major presentation. What information will be of value to the user? Ensure that the tone of the content and graphics reflect your organizational culture so visitors feel they know you.

Ivy Sea Consulting Services: This information provides food for thought rather than counsel specifically designed to meet the unique needs of your organization.Visit About Ivy Sea or give us a call to learn how we can help you discover how to make the most of your culture, communication, talents, services, infrastructure and systems to take you to greater levels of mastery and success as an individual, group or organization. How can we help you? We welcome your email inquiry.

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