What do you want your website to DO?
Ask most people that question and you'll get a glassy-eyed
stare followed by something like, "Do? What should
a website do? Huh?"
It's as if having a concrete goal for a website is a
foreign concept. It shouldn't be though!
If you don't know what you want your website to DO, or
accomplish, you won't even know if it does it by accident!
A website can accomplish one or many things:
give information
online shopping
online registration
requesting information
search database
down or upload files
discussion forums
and more.
The questions is, what is critical for your website to
do for you? What MUST it do in order to meet your goals
for it?
It's not too late now to sit back and figure out just
what you want your website to do. In fact, it's imperative
to do it now, if you haven't already. That way you won't
be throwing your time, energy and money into a pit that
won't give back what you need.
Sit down with a pencil and paper (or keyboard and word
processor) and jot down all the things you'd like your
site to do for you. Don't worry about being formal or
precise, just spit it out any old way to start with.
Be sure to be honest with yourself as you write out the
things you'd like your site to do for you. For instance,
my first graphics site really only existed so I could
"show everyone that I'm as good as my graphics idol".
It seems petty and silly to me today, but since I knew
what my goal was, I was able to accomplish it. No one
but you will see it, and it's critical that you really
lay it all out there, even if bits seem funny or silly.
Once you've gotten your notes about what you really want
(secretly and publicly) your site to do, make three columns
titled: IMPORTANT, CRITICAL, NEITHER. Then take all your
notes and put them in the appropriate column.
Your lists may end up with things like:
CRITICAL - online shopping, show I'm an expert in my field
IMPORTANT - request information
NEITHER - nifty Flash stuff, nephew's photos
and, of course, more.
The things in the Critical list are the things you really
need to concentrate on making your website do. This is
the goal to keep your eye on whenever you do anything
related to your website. Important things are ones that
are next in line. Things under the neither listing should
either be tossed out, or ONLY used if they can honestly
help accomplish something in the Critical section.
Paring down to essentials will help you make your website
meet your goals. Make your site DO what you really need
it to.
Sometimes an objective party can help you see things
clearly. If you'd like assistance figuring out what goals
your site should meet and how to meet them, just
let us know and we'll be happy to help.
