What’s An Appropriate Web Site for Your Business?

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Web design and features are a lot like fashion in a way – trends and looks come in out of style with the changing seasons.

Current styles find lots of sites copying what I can only call Web2.0ish designs drawn from some of the more popular blog templates. While I personally kind of like this style I wonder if enough business owners question what look and feel, as well as content and features, really makes the most sense for their business?

Blindly mirroring current in trends and shiny new web toys, ignores the most important questions – what works for your target market and what delivers on your marketing goals? Of course, that means you would need to have addressed both of those issues at some point though doesn’t it?

The web site that makes the most sense for your business is the one that helps a prospect gain trust and get information. For most, this is about good content, easy navigation and simplicity. Copying the mega news site you like to read may not allow your visitors to get what they came for. In fact, small is one of your advantages. Your web site can actually look too big time – particularly if it confuses. Most small business owners should view their web site as an extension of the lead generation, nurturing and conversion process. So, what brand do you want to display in that process, through your online presence?

Does video, social software, chat, user-generated content make your site better? Maybe, maybe not. What’s does your prospect need and want?

I’m not necessarily making a case for bad design or featureless simplicity, just design, content and engagement that fits your business and your prospect. In most cases, simple is better.

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Posted by: John Jantsch on Feb 20, 07 | 9:09 pm
Category: Web Marketing | Tags:

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Prime Advertising & Design

<trackback>Tips That Stick: The Duct Tape Marketing Blog

Author and blogger John Jantsch provides a great small business marketing blog at The Duct Tape Marketing Blog that is worth checking out. John’s book, Duct Tape Marketing, has been out in stores and available online since the fall of 200...</trackback>
Prime Advertising & Desig

<pingback>...makes a lot of sense and another on What’s An Appropriate Web Site for Your Business?, that focuses on content being the true value ...</pingback>
Leila Johnson

Hi John,
What a timely post. I just finished giving a presentation to nonprofit organizations on Web site development. We discussed the importance of focusing on your audience before focusing on the bells and whistles for the site.

Well said - Customer Engine Optimization. I'll have to refer to that in the next presentation (and give you credit, of course).

Your book is great, by the way. Thanks for sending it!
Jim Durbin

I think it's important to differentiate between "look" and "useless clutter that sounds good."

A well designed site is essential for creating a sticky platform for your marketing, and if it doesn't have the right "look," you're not going to generate the results you want.

Simplicity is the new trend, but that doesn't mean lack of sophistication. A better measure for a company is to look at the value of their website, and then determine if they have the type of brand that requires a professional site, versus one they can create cheaply.

A typepad template may be enough for a small business where the owner is the main salesperson and his or her personal ethics and skill are the main sell, but an e-commerce site that sells high-end clothing has to be consistent in its design from the entry page to the shopping cart, or the drop-offs will cost them a pretty penny as people get nervous about using their credit card.

I think the problem is often a lack of understanding of the purpose of a website, or perhaps irrelevant goals (traffic versus sales - High PR versus sales, video versus a clear message).

The key is, like Dawud and John said - knowing your business goals before you look for a designer. A good designer knows they need those goals before they start looking for a concept.
Dawud Miracle

Nice post John. Since I work exclusively with service-oriented small businesses, I see this a lot. Way too much emphasis put on the 'look' of a site by the site owners. What's worse is when the site owner wants what they want and not what works for the audience - regardless of suggestion. Clients need to learn that they're not building a website for themselves - they don't need it. They're building their website for their target audience - who need their services.

Personally, I've transitioned a lot since building my first website 1998. I've learned a ton about business development, marketing strategy and niche market positioning. I bring all that to my clients. Yet it's interesting how little most clients seem to know about their audience's needs and wants. I try to help them bridge that gap so that their site actually has a chance to meet their business goals.
John Jantsch

Scott,

Maybe more emphasis should be given to CEO than SEO - you know, Customer Engine Optimization!
College Marketing 4.0

<trackback>Build A Useable Website, Then We'll Talk
What is the purpose of your website? Is it to drive traffic for ads? Is it to get click through on AdSense? Is it to garner a community? Is it to sell a product? Education? Don't Know? The guys at</trackback>
Scott Meade

Well stated. The trap of "mirroring current in trends and shiny new web toys" is especially prevelant in my field, small software companies. But whatever field one is in, you just cannot stress enough the importance of building your company's website for your customers - not for you - and for your marketing goals. I have actually heard business owners say "I don't like 'long-copy' sites" or "I know an ad here would provide benefit to my readers and marketing tie-ins for me, but I don't want ads on my site", etc. In my opinion, business owners (myself included) spend too much time worrying if their website is putting forth the "image" the owner has of their company and almost no time at all on optimizing for customer satisfaction and marketing. Glad to see you offering folks a chance to see how to implement a solid marketing plan.
Build A Solo Practice, LLC

<trackback>How Do You Design A Website?
I just got through teching my class the elements of design for a website, purpose drives design and this post from Duct Tape Marketing get posted! John Jantsch concurs that a website/blog is an extension of an already overarching strategy</trackback>

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