Elements of effective websites

Elements of EffectiveWebsites

Dave Borland, Principal (Figurehead?)

• What makes a website effective? The

8 things your visitors need to see

• How to create it to meet their

expectations and meet your goals

• Tools you can use

What are we talking about?

4

You May Be Doing Good Advertising

So What’s the Problem?

TV Billboards OtherCoupons

Where does all that advertising typically bring prospects first?

Is it your web site?

• 67% of online searches are driven to the web by traditional media ads

• 37% of buyers research online first then buy ‘offline’

Sources: Comscore, Jupiter Research

Scary Statistic?

Think about itAt a restaurant: After an ad drives you to your door, will you come back if you experience poor service, unclean floors, a stained paper menu, and bad food?

No Social Strategy

No Branding

Bad Design

Bad Content

No Strategy/ Message

Website

Are your advertisements leading to your “Bad Restaurant” web site?

What are the 8 important things your visitors need to see?

1. The Design Itself

First Impression: Which of these would you buy from?

• TIRE WAREHOUSE

2. Usability

Which of these has the right tools, information? (For the audiences)

3. Easy to Understand

Which of these tells you what they do?(5 seconds or less)

4. Find Stuff (without difficulty)

• TIRE WAREHOUSE

5. The Sales Pitch

Which of these entices you to do a next step?

6. Good Content

Good, Fresh Content?

7. Interactive (calls to action? Social media, etc?)

8. Functional? (Does it work?)

• Are there broken links?

• Does the shopping cart work?

• Does the contact form send to the right people?

• Search box work?

• Etc.

• http://www.terry-haggerty.com/contact.html

Don’t forget: Smartphones and Tablets!

• 2011 - 10% market share• By 2013 - over 40% share

DO YOU have a faulty web site?

Take the test

So how do you know what visitors are experiencing?

Some Tools to Use

Google Analytics• Where are they coming from?• What are they doing when they get to your site?• Are they clicking your “goals”?

http://www.google.com/analytics/

Heat Maps• Test a new design – or compare two versions!• Test content - discover which calls to action work• Test various layouts or placement of key elements

such as ads or action buttons

http://www.crazyegg.com

Call Tracking Metrics• Track calls from online

AND offline sources –and their effectiveness once they get to your site

If you have to start over...

What’s next?

Start with a Blueprint

• What are your specific goals?• What are your strengths – and your message?• Audience decision matrix (ADM): – Who are the audiences– What do they need to see– What do you need to show them

• Use the ADM to create a site map• Create wireframes

A Completed Blueprint

Wireframe

Now you’ve got the tools

How are YOU going to achieve your marketing goals?

1. Talk to us. We’d be happy to help assess your current web site

Thank you.

Defective marketing is hazardous to your bank accounts. Known side effects include lost revenue and frustration.

If you are suffering from any of these side effects, see us immediately