Good Web Design Principle #1: Clarify Your Objectives

Conflicting voices are a major headache that can lead to standstill, gridlock and internal strife. Webmasters are often pulled in numerous directions for no apparent reasons on unreasonable timetables. But clarifying your objectives will eliminate these headaches and bring into focus a crystal clear perspective for your team of why you want to have a website. In order to accomplish objective #1, you need to be able to answer the question…

What is the Primary Objective of Your Website?

• Is it a store for selling products? (www.amazon.com)
• Is it a site to generate leads? (www.pathmakermarketing.com/seoanalysisc18.php)
• Is it for building community? (www.myface.com)
• Is it for serving your membership? (www.presidentialprayerteam.org)
• Is it for transmitting news or information? (www.crosswalk.com)
• Is it for improving customer service? (www.walgreens.com)
• Is it a brochure about your ministry or outreach? (www.pioneers.com)

It’s entirely possible that you may have multiple objectives. If that is the case, then further rank your priorities so that you understand which ones are the most important to achieve. Focus on accomplishing your top priorities first, then progress to other subordinate objectives. Record your website objectives on paper. Once you do this, if there are any changes in your website personnel, your new staffers will know the original thinking behind your site.

Learning this basic principle of good web design will surely save you numerous headaches.