September 24, 2013 -- Welcome to:

6 Ways to Make Your Next Website the Best Ever!

Sara Isenberg sara@saraisenberg.com http://saraisenberg.com http://saraisenberg.com/blog

INTRODUCTION

I help web developers, businesses, and individuals with web, social media, email marketing, software, and other projects.

Sara Isenberg Web Consulting & Project Management http://saraisenberg.com http://facebook.com/SaraIsenbergConsulting/

INTRODUCE YOURSELF 1.  Your name? 2.  What is your website about?

3.  What would you most like to learn in this class?

AGENDA 1.  Introductions 2.  3 Fundamentals 3.  6 Essential Web Pages 4.  6 Questions to Ponder 5.  Case Studies 6.  Fast, Cheap, Good 7.  Resources

3 FUNDAMENTALS OF A WEBSITE: 1.  Usability – architecture, navigation 2.  Design – appropriate to support your message

3.  Content – clear and simple, easy to scan

SIX Essential Web Pages: 1.  Home page 2.  Products and/or Services 3.  About 4.  Contact 5.  Custom Information 6.  Dynamic Content

(graphic credits to Scott Design’s blog)

1. HOME Page: §  2-5 second test -- what you do and where. §  Unique Selling Proposition (USP) §  Visually supports your branding. §  One or more Calls to Action. Tell the visitor what

action you’d like them to take. §  2-5 sentences of keyword-rich TEXT. Search

engines need TEXT. §  Meta Page Titles and Page Descriptions (not

limited to home page) §  Generally above the fold.

2. Products and/or Services: §  What are you offering or promoting? §  What are your services? §  What are your products? §  What is your cause?

3. ABOUT Page: §  Is about the PEOPLE who own or manage or run

the business. §  Might be biographical, eg for sole proprietor. §  Might include history of the business. §  Might tell your story on how your business came

to exist. §  Has a voice that supports your branding. §  Is NOT typically about the product or services.

4. CONTACT Page: §  Starts with something friendly and inviting. Eg: I

look forward to hearing from you. §  Email address (even if you have a form) §  Phone number (even if you just check messages) §  Mailing address or physical location (depends) §  Form ok.

5. Custom Information: §  Your Expertise §  Additional Resources §  Related information §  Eg: Dentist? Provide general dentistry info §  Eg: Sell Bicycles? Provide local trail info §  Eg: Web Consultant? Links to relevant meetups.

6. Dynamic Content: §  Blog §  Social Media §  Events §  Sales, Specials, Deals

Valuable to human visitors AND search engines: •  Updated content brings return visitors! •  Text content with keyword phrases is important for search engines!

Review: 1.  Home page 2.  Products and/or Services 3.  About 4.  Contact 5.  Custom Information 6.  Dynamic Content

(graphic credits to Scott Design’s blog)

6 QUESTIONS TO PONDER: 1.  What is my site? 2.  Who do I want to attract? 3.  What is my style, look & feel, voice? 4.  What is my content? 5.  What is the intuitive organization? 6.  What features will help?

PONDER #1: WHAT IS MY SITE? •  What are my goals? •  Will visitors understand what I do (what I am

offering) in 3-5 seconds!?!?!? •  What is my USP (Unique Selling Proposition)? •  What are my measures of success? è Describe 3 goals and 3 measure of success.

PONDER #2: WHO DO I WANT TO ATTRACT? •  Who do I want to visit my website? •  Demographics: young/old, male/female, etc? •  What is my visitor’s frame of mind? •  What is my visitor’s job, role, goal? è Describe 3 profiles that you want to attract.

PONDER #3: WHAT IS MY STYLE, LOOK & FEEL, VOICE? •  What qualities attract my users? •  Casual, formal, humorous, corporate, etc? •  I, we, you, they – Who is the voice?

è Describe the profile of the voice/speaker.

PONDER #4: WHAT IS MY CONTENT? •  Product? •  Service? •  Entertainment? •  Information? •  Inspiration? •  Etc.

è Describe your primary and secondary content.

PONDER #5: WHAT IS THE INTUITIVE ORGANIZATION? •  What are various ways to

organize? •  What is most intuitive? •  Different people, different paths. •  By role (eg: teacher, student, parent). •  By demographic (eg: male, female, child) •  By product (eg: widget1, widget2) è Describe options for your website’s organization.

PONDER #6: WHAT FEATURES WILL HELP? TAP INTO CURRENT TECHNOLOGY. •  Graphics •  Illustrations •  Animation •  Photographs •  Video •  Newsletter/signup •  Blog •  Ecommerce •  Resources è What are your “must have” features & “wish list” features.

•  Site search •  Sitemap •  SEO •  CMS •  Google Analytics •  Social Media!

CASE STUDIES: •  http://www.apple.com/ •  http://woodsholeinn.com/ •  http://www.wildthymedeli.com/ •  http://www.stonesoup.com/ •  http://www.kikimag.com/ •  http://www.elt-inc.com/ •  http://amieforest.com/ •  http://bootsroad.com/ •  http://www.hotdesign.com/ •  http://designbycosmic.com/ •  YOUR Website?

“FAST, CHEAP, GOOD: Pick Two!”

RESOURCES •  Before You Hire Your Web Designer or Developer:

http://saraisenberg.com/2011/06/16/before-you-hire-your-web-designer-or-developer/

•  5 Super Resources for Small Business Owner Who

Wants a Great Website:http://saraisenberg.com/2011/05/04/5-super-resources-for-small-business-owner-who-wants-a-great-website/

o  Don’t Make Me Think, A Common Sense Approach to

Web Usability, Steve Krug. o  Letting Go of the Words, Writing Web Content That

Works, Janice Ginny Reddish. o  Rocket Surgery, The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Finding

and Fixing Usability Problems, Steve Krug.

Q & A Sara Isenberg sara@saraisenberg.com http://saraisenberg.com http://saraisenberg.com/blog