Expectations - What Are Yours and Those of Your Visitors?

Volume V, Issue 3
ISSN: 1547-7754
August 2007
printable version

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

Whether or not you are designing/developing your own website or have hired a designer to work on it, you should pay attention to expectations. These are not only your expectations, but also the expectations of those visiting your website. In this e-zine I am going to discuss the important expectations that can make or break a website. These include emotional, visual, content, technical and more considerations.

EXPECTATION #1. Your website fulfills your purpose.
One of the first questions I ask a client is to tell me the purpose of their website. Is it to advertise and market your service(s)? Is it to sell your product(s)? Is it to share information? One of the websites I designed for a local community development corporation was to establish their professionalism to help with obtaining grants from funders who were unfamiliar with the group and all they accomplish.

There can be more than one purpose for a website. Just make sure that you are clear about the reasons for having one.

EXPECTATION #2. Visually, your website is a delight to visit.
Yes, I do realize that not every visitor will be thrilled with your website’s colors, graphics and choice of fonts, but the more effectively they all work together to create a pleasant experience, the better.

We must keep in mind that everyone who visits our website has a different monitor, is using a different browser and a different computer with different settings. With all of the variations, it is amazing that we see any similarities at all.

EXPECTATION #3. Visitors aren’t confronted with technical difficulties.
In previous e-zines, I have addressed many of these in more detail. However, following is a list of those I feel are the biggest offenders.

• Long download time. The Internet has sped everything, even our patience. Visitors will not wait longer than a few seconds before clicking away.
• Confusing navigation. The more easily a visitor can find what he or she is looking for, the longer they will stay – an also return soon.
• Lack of easy contact information. It boggles my mind that so many websites don’t include an easy way to contact the owner.
• Colors that make fonts difficult to read. Have you noticed that if the background is dark and the fonts are light, you will quickly become tired reading.
• Broken links that don’t take you where you are supposed to be taken. Be sure to test, test, test everything.

EXPECTATION #4. Your website’s content is worthwhile and meaningful.
Make sure that even if you are not planning an information website that your content is still thought through and well written. It will be interesting and helpful enough that visitors will stay for awhile (they call this “stickiness”) and want to return.

I still believe and contend that “content is King.” And, that leads me to the next number (#5).

EXPECTATION #5. That search engines will list your website, at least, within the first 20 listings.
There are many theories about how to be listed on the first page of Google. What has worked for me is regular updating of my websites, using descriptive keywords, linking to other sites and having other sites that relate to my topics link to me. Blogs are also another way to gain visibility, credibility and Google listings.

So far, I have not used Adwords or PPC (Pay Per Click). People find me through my plethora of articles, posted on my websites and also syndicated through article sites.

Have a terrific and productive month!

Do 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.

If you would like to subscribe to this e-zine and receive five free Internet tips, send an e-mail to subscribe@creativekeys.biz with subscribe in the subject line. If you ever wish to be removed from the mailing list, just send an e-mail to unsubscribe@creativekeys.biz with unsubscribe in the subject line.