Planning a successful web presence
marketing / Deborah Whitman

Building a successful web site is more than just throwing together a few web pages and submitting to a few search engines. A carefully thought-out, well-planned web site design, promotion and marketing strategy will ensure the success of your web site. Many people are still under the mistaken assumption that just throwing together a few web pages and getting online will bring them overnight success. We hate to burst that bubble. Again it takes a well thought-out plan, design and promotion strategy to make a successful website.

The goal and purpose of the web site

• give reasons why your business clearly beats the competition?
• what is your usp (unique selling proposition)?
• what does your company do?
• how does your business and products benefit your target audience?
• what can your business offer your visitors, what's in it for them, how can you help them?
• what problems do your prospects have that your business solves?
• what is your vision for the web site?
• how will visitors interact with the web site?
• what are the specific short-term goals for the website (in the first year reduce customer service workload, generate more sales)?
• what is your current level of on-line business and what are the expectations for future on-line sales?
• what are the long-term goals for the website (in the first 1 to 3 years).
• do you have a brick and mortar store or other off-web location?
• how do you see the website and off-line business working together?
• what are the weak points of each and the strong points that can be exploited?
• what are the major purposes for the website (establish an internet presence, provide information, sell products online (e-commerce), provide customer service, etc.)
• what are the needs your business satisfies for your customers?
• what words or images will impart those needs?
• what analogies can be used to explain offers in simple, understandable terms?
   
  the design and layout of the web site
• approximately how many pages will the web site have?
• in order for your site to appeal to your primary audience, what style or "voice" will you use (conservative, hip and trendy, etc.)?
• think of website urls with designs or schemes that appeal to you and give reasons why.
• consider the fonts to be used on the web site. it is unwise to use more than 2-3 major fonts.
• consider some of your competitor website urls
• consider choosing a primary color scheme for the background, text and graphics
  
  Content for the web site
  Consider the following when planning content for the web site:
  1. photos (prints, slides, negatives)
  2. text
  3. brochures
  4. business cards
  5. flyers
  6. product shots
  7. product samples
  8. press releases
  9. price and part lists
  10. frequently asked questions
  11. shipping and handling charges and constraints
  12. warranty policy
  13. privacy policy
  14. return policy
  15. guarantees
  16. true and believable testimonials
  17. endorsements from known sources
  18. credits
  19. bios
  20. history
  21. education
  22. certifications
  23. awards
  24. case studies
  25. photos of yourself, staff and location
  26. transcripts of interviews
  27. industry recognition
  28. map and directions
  29. hours of operation
  30. locations locally, nationally or internationally

• do you have a business slogan or catch phrase? how will you use it to your company's advantage on the web site?
• consider the features of your products and/or services. list their strong points.
• consider the major topics for your site (i.e. products, services, information, how to contact us, galleries, etc.).
• consider types of components to include other than still photos and text (e-commerce, affiliate programs, virtual reality images, java applets, backend database integration, survey forms, feedback forms, opt-in newsletter management, referral forms, etc.).
• consider credit cards the site will accept (visa, mastercard, amex, discover).
• consider including unique content on your site. since most surfers are seeking information, the best sites are those that become hubs or portals. a site that contains large amounts of information (not readily available elsewhere) directly related to the product or service being sold may be far more successful than one that that only offers a product or service.
• will you use an affiliate program?
• what can be done to add value to products and services?
• what are your delivery policies?
• consider any special shipping and handling charges or constraints on international orders.
• consider using a survey form to gather information from your visitors
• will there be password-protected areas for dealers, members and/or downloads?
• will you join any affiliate programs and link those sites to your website?
• what type of e-commerce solution do you require?
• what type of opt-in mail list gathering will you use?
  
  Estimated budget for the web site
• purchasing a web site is somewhat similar to purchasing a car. you can buy a car for $10,000 or $35,000 - the difference in price is one of performance and options. a 5 page informational only web site can start as low as a few hundred dollars, but a web site that is completely e-commerce enabled, with real-time credit card processing, a shopping cart, and a separate technical specs database system will be more in the range of a few thousand dollars. and there are many variations in between.
• each website is different and unique and there are many variables and options available for a website. consider the cost of a custom built solution that is tailored to your budget.
• consider setting up a maintenance budget for the web site.
• consider setting up a marketing budget for the web site (including search engine registration campaigns).
   
  Hosting and domain name registration
• if you have not done so yet, you need to determine a tentative name for your website. you may want to use your existing business name. but your website focus may be broader or narrower than your organization name implies. in that case, look for a name that is descriptive, unique, short and memorable.
• it is always a good idea to have your own domain name instead of using just a "sub" name to someone else's domain. search engines are more favorable to indexing your site and your name becomes easier to remember to your clients. keyword-rich domain names are also favorable to search engines
• consider the level of hosting that will be required (this may need to be determined during the design phase)
   Marketing the web site
• web surfers have short attention spans, and may not remember your site and will probably not return unless you give them a compelling reason to do so. how can you encourage repeat visitors and referrals?
• consider preparing 30 words or phrases that describe your business. pick words/phrases relevant to your business. list all keywords that would link search engines to your website. phrases should be both specific and general.
• consider writing a 25-word description of your business to be displayed and used in search engine submissions. describe what your business offers, to whom it if offered and a succinct reason your business should be considered.
• consider the audience demographics - who you want to reach and how this will be accomplished (age range, profession, interests, etc.)
• is this a new market you are trying to create for your product/service or is there already an existing market? selling in an existing market is easier and less risky. the understanding of what you are offering already exists since other companies have paved the way. what existing distribution channels are you able to tap? are there any 800-pound gorillas and if so, how can you compete against them? Microsoft and toy's r us are considered to be gorillas in their markets.
• consider the email accounts you want to use for the site.
  
  Web site security
• consider what security is required for the website - is protection of sensitive files an issue (order data, backend database access, etc.)
• define the criteria you will use to determine the website's success (i.e. internet orders of a certain volume, website traffic of a certain volume (this should not be used as the sole definition of success), x amount of sales as a percentage of hits, decrease in customer service costs, increase in productivity).