Planning Website Content
What could your Website say and
do better than your rivals?
Information is regarded as the currency of the
web. The more you offer the greater your net worth, to both users
and Googlebot.
To determine the size, scale and likely cost
of Web development you first need a blueprint of your ideal site.
With all your ideas down on paper, the Web design project should
remain focussed and easy to manage.
Creating an up-to-date snapshot of your business
is not difficult provided you follow a logical step-by-step process.
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To generate a site map, every product
and service your business offers is listed. Ideally there
will be one web page for each.
Goods and services are grouped into categories
which are familiar to typical customers. The hierarchy of
categories will form the basis of your site navigation.
Below the home page, main categories become
your top level navigation, sub categories your second level
etc. Detailed product or service pages are the ultimate destination
for visitors.
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 When
an interested party reaches your product or service page,
either by navigating your site or directly from Google, what
do you want them to do?
Advertising your contact details is the
most popular option, but why stop there? Peak
times for surfing the Web are anything but 9 to 5, so
unless you're prepared to work late, you could risk loosing
business.
To enable 24 hour trading you need to
automate sales to some capacity. If not the entire process
then certainly the enquiry/response stage.
A review of your top Internet
competitors will show how their customers order, book,
apply, register or purchase online. Ideally, your call-to-action
will be quicker, easier and more appealing to use than theirs.
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To sell online your Website should clearly
answer questions, explain benefits and provide visitor reassurance.
To begin with, all potential customer
questions are listed for each type of product or service you
offer. Along with the obvious questions; 'Who are you' and
'What do you do', the lists should ideally include all the
tricky questions too; 'How much do you charge', 'What is your
returns policy' and 'Do you offer any guarantees'. When these
questions are addressed online the answers can be carefully
crafted to explain and reassure the visitor.
Next, all questions are prioritised beginning
with the most frequently asked. Information can then be fed
to the visitor in a logical order. The final Q&A format
should ideally resemble a typical telephone enquiry. Answers
to these questions can then be prepared during Website
production by your copywriter. Employing a professional,
sales-orientated Web copywriter at this stage is highly recommended.
As they say online - Words Sell, Not Pictures.
To complete the spec for each page, notes
are made of any further content required. Bespoke illustrations,
photography or animation's can be used to show off, demonstrate
or more fully explain the benefits of your goods & services.
Ultimately all content is designed to
encourage your most desired response (AKA your call-to-action).
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 A
site map shows all the pages your ideal site would include.
Budget and time permitting, all pages
will be available when you launch
your Website. Alternatively, you may prefer to test the
water by launching only your most popular products or services
first.
Either way, a clear plan of the overall
'big picture' will keep the site scalable. Future Website
expansion should not require fundamental changes to existing
pages.
Resembling a flowchart, the site map provides
an overview of the entire site. It's the perfect way to share
ideas with friends, colleagues and your web design team.
Try reading 'What'
Must Come Before 'How'
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The next step?
With your Internet
research and detailed site plan complete the next step is to
develop your Website brand.
Refresh Marketing
guide you step by step through the Website planning process. Working
at your own pace by email, our question and answer technique provides
content ideas for new and existing Website development.
To discuss Website planning please book
a call
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