strategic web sites for the renewable energy marketplace

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Strategic Web Sites

Ann Treacy broadband.mnrem.com

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WHAT IS A STRATEGIC WEB SITE?A web site that helps you reach business goals

©2011 Minnesota Renewable Energy Marketplace. All Rights Reserved.

WHAT ARE YOUR BUSINESS GOALS?

Interact more with current customers

Interact more with current investors

Reach new customers

Reach new investors

Reach policymakers

Find employees

Build brand recognition

Manage your reputationPromote renewable energy

Promote Minnesota

©2011 Minnesota Renewable Energy Marketplace. All Rights Reserved.

Strategic Web Sites Usability Call to action Functionality Find-ability Metrics

©2011 Minnesota Renewable Energy Marketplace. All Rights Reserved.

©2011 Minnesota Renewable Energy Marketplace. All Rights Reserved.

USABILITY

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What do you do? 5 second test

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Recognize the F Pattern

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/reading_pattern.html

©2011 Minnesota Renewable Energy Marketplace. All Rights Reserved.

Accessibility• WAVE ADA Test

wave.webaim.org • Browser Compatibility

http://browsershots.org

• Don’t use graphics to convey info

• Flash can be iffy on many platforms

• Do you care about printing?

Functionality

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CALL TO ACTION

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Think back to your Goals• What is a successful visit to your site?– A purchase? A RFQ? A job application?

• How easy is it for the visitors to follow that path?

• How appealing is it?• How is the visitor rewarded?

©2011 Minnesota Renewable Energy Marketplace. All Rights Reserved.

What do you do? 5 second test

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Bonus Activity: Check out• Sites in your industry• Sites your target visitors

visit• Sales sites

• Use what works• See what doesn’t work

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FUNCTIONALITY

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Functionality Tests • Run a quickie test:

http://watson.addy.com/ • Check each page for

– Accuracy– Typos– Links

http://www.seventwentyfour.com/

• Check the code: http://validator.w3.org/

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METRICS

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Metrics Sneak Peek

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QUESTIONS?

If you have an interest in further training on Strategic Web Sites in your area, please let us know.