Volume I, Issue 11
ISSN: 1547-7754
April 2004
printable version

Chris King, Editor
By subscription only, this monthly e-newsletter will be loaded with short, "down and dirty" tips to help you with solving the everchanging and growing puzzle of the Internet. This e-zine will also serve as a place to ask your questions and find the answers.

Of course, what we include on our websites depends upon the target market and our purpose for the site. There are, however, in my opinion ten Cs that make a website successful. These Cs will serve as the TIPS in this issue.

TIP #1. Content – yes, “Content is still king.” Your visitors may not read every word, but interesting, informative and useful content that is regularly updated is what brings them back to your website time and time again. Good content that is refreshed often also helps get your site into and keeps it in top search engine positions.

TIP #2. Creativity – ask what makes or will make your website unique? I am not in any way suggesting that you or your designer look to the bizarre, or make it so unusual that it doesn’t make sense. I submit, however, that your site is creative and unique enough that visitors remember it and, hopefully, bookmark it. What will differentiate you and your site from the masses?

TIP #3. Consistence – establish a consistent look and method of navigation, so visitors know that they are still on the same site. By keeping consistent navigation and placement of elements, you will provide an enjoyable, rather than a frustrating, experience. There are many sites that open with one look (on their “splash” page) and then change the look completely within the site.

TIP #4. Clarity – when someone visits your website, is it clear right away what the website is all about? Are the navigation tools descriptive and clear. I have visited “clever” sites that use interesting icons that don’t make any sense. Yes, we do know the icon for the shopping cart, but what does a frog or a star mean? Again, try to avoid including any parts of your site that are clear to you but may be confusing to your visitor.

TIP #5. Convenience – how convenient is the information that a visitor is likely to be looking for? I suggest including contact information on every page. On the longer pages, I always include links back to the top plus links at the bottom to make it easy to move around. Another feature that helps with finding what a visitor is looking for is a helpful Search feature which is easy to add to each page.

TIP #6. Color – when choosing color schemes, keep in mind that how visitors view your site depends a great deal upon the type of monitor they are using. I am always surprised when I see my sites on other screens and laptops, especially. If you have a lot of content, work on making it readable. White on black is striking, but difficult to read.

TIP #7. Communication – communicate in a friendly, conversational manner. Make sure you have an easy way for visitors to contact you, and when they do, be sure to answer their e-mails as promptly as possible. Offer a newsletter or a tip sheet and ask for feedback. You will be amazed by the friendships that you build.

TIP #8. Community – this is what follows from TIP #7. Another way to build community is to offer a forum or discussion board. If you have an informational product that deals with a hot topic like marketing, you can enroll those who purchase it in a Yahoo group. I currently belong to an extremely active and helpful group where we exchange a plethora of ideas daily.

TIP #9. Current - it is super important that your site is updated and kept current on a regular basis. There are tools that will post the actual date which looks like it has been just updated, but I am referring more to sites where the copyright is listed as 2001 and the events happened in 2002. It is obvious that the site is out-of-date, so smacks of non-professionalism.

TIP #10. Control – by applying the previous tips, you will create a satisfying experience for your visitors. They will feel that they are in control of their visit. The truth is that the more control we give others, the more they will give back to us. And, they will not only return often, they will tell others about the site and urge them to visit.

Remember, send your comments and questions to me at chris@creativekeys.biz. I love to receive feedback and will answer your questions in future e-zines.