what makes a good website 2009 sth man
DESCRIPTION
Most customers decide within the first 5 seconds if they are going to buy from your website. Therefore understanding what makes a good website is essential to converting visitors into customers. This workshop will show you the difference between online & offline shops and the different building blocks for a good website. You should leave the session with the knowledge & tools to development & define a website specification for your business.TRANSCRIPT
What makes a good website?Presented by:Steve GalePyxisoft Ltdwww.pyxisoft.com
In collaboration with:
Alan Holding
Manchester Digital Development Agency
manchesterdda.com
This workshop is 1 of 5What makes a good website
Payment systems
Attracting customers – Marketing and Social Networks
Attracting customers – Search Engine Optimisation & Advertising
Stay Legal
1. Why have a website?
2. Differences between online and offline shops
3. Differences between global brands and small business websites
4. Elements of a good website – design, layout…
5. Coffee break
6. Developing a website specification
7. Some quick tips – domain names, keeping a ‘lever arch file’ for your website, statistics
What I’m going to talk about
New figures from the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index show that online spending reached £4.67 billion in December.
....up by 14.2 per cent compared to 2007, as the internet became a more popular way for consumers to do their shopping.
“...consumers are turning to the internet as the most efficient way to save money in the downturn," comments Mike Petevinos, spokesman for Capgemini.
Dec 08 online sales up 14.2%
Source: IAB UK Source: IAB UK http://tinyurl.com/cv2e72
Raise brand awareness
Provide information on your products and services
Give customers a way of contacting you
Sell products or services online
Collect data about your clients for later use
Why have a website?
Raise brand awareness
Provide information on your products and services
Give customers a way of contacting you
Sell products or services online
Collect data about your clients for later use
Why have a website?
Raise brand awareness
Provide information on your products and services
Give customers a way of contacting you
Sell products or services online
Collect data about your clients for later use
Why have a website?
Raise brand awareness
Provide information on your products and services
Give customers a way of contacting you
Sell products or services online
Collect data about your clients for later use
Why have a website?
Raise brand awareness
Provide information on your products and services
Give customers a way of contacting you
Sell products or services online
Collect data about your clients for later use
Why have a website?
Online shop
Open all the time
Available to anyone anywhere they can access the internet
Shopping is facilitated by technology - there is NO personal contact
Offline shop
Tends to have fixed opening hours
Number of customers can be dependent on location
Face-to-face interaction is a big part of the process
Differences between…
Global brand
They don’t have to explain who they are
People are usually very clear on what services or products that brand represents
Small business
People on the internet might not know who they are
Has to explain who they are, what they do
Has to work harder to make themselves stand out
Differences between…
DesignDesign LayoutLayout
ContentContent
Elements of a good website
UsabilityUsability
A well designed, usable website
Why are these important?
Good customer experience
=
Consistent look and feel – website design follows your “corporate brand”
Good use of images
A sense of professionalism
Design
Consistent look and feel – website design follows your “corporate brand”
Good use of images
A sense of professionalism
Design
Consistent look and feel – website design follows your “corporate brand”
Good use of images
A sense of professionalism
Design
Make it easy to find your way around the site
Position your key messages correctly
People usually scan web pages not read them
Evaluate regularly and change things that don’t work!
Layout
Make it easy to find your way around the site
Position your key messages correctly
People usually scan web pages not read them
Evaluate regularly and change things that don’t work!
Layout
Make it easy to find your way around the site
Position your key messages correctly
People usually scan web pages not read them
Evaluate regularly and change things that don’t work!
Layout
Make it easy to find your way around the site
Position your key messages correctly
People usually scan web pages not read them
Evaluate regularly and change things that don’t work!
Layout
The most common monitor resolution is 1024 x 768
Keep this is mind when having your website designed
Remember to keep your most important messages at the top, so people don’t have to scroll down pages to see them
A note about screen sizes
The most common monitor resolution is 1024 x 768
Keep this is mind when having your website designed
Remember to keep your most important messages at the top, so people don’t have to scroll down pages to see them
A note about screen sizes
The most common monitor resolution is 1024 x 768
Keep this is mind when having your website designed
Remember to keep your most important messages at the top, so people don’t have to scroll down pages to see them
A note about screen sizes
Content is the stuff on your website – words, pictures, video, audio, forms, error pages, etc.
Your website IS driven by content.
Avoid complex language – use plain language and say what you see!
Know your audience.
Check for spilling messtakes.
Content
Content is the stuff on your website – words, pictures, video, audio, forms, error pages, etc.
Your website IS driven by content.
Avoid complex language – use plain language and say what you see!
Know your audience.
Check for spilling messtakes.
Content
Content is the stuff on your website – words, pictures, video, audio, forms, error pages, etc.
Your website IS driven by content.
Avoid complex language – use plain language and say what you see!
Know your audience.
Check for spilling messtakes.
Content
Content is the stuff on your website – words, pictures, video, audio, forms, error pages, etc.
Your website IS driven by content.
Avoid complex language – use plain language and say what you see!
Know your audience.
Check for spilling messtakes.
Content
Content is the stuff on your website – words, pictures, video, audio, forms, error pages, etc.
Your website IS driven by content.
Avoid complex language – use plain language and say what you see!
Know your audience.
Check for spilling messtakes.
Content
If customers can’t use your website to do stuff, even if the website looks nice, is it doing its job?
Remember that customers come to your website to carry out a specific task – find out who you are, buy something from you, etc.
The design of your website should help customers do those tasks.
Test the website.
What happens when things go wrong. Do you know when things go wrong?
Usability
If customers can’t use your website to do stuff, even if the website looks nice, is it doing its job?
Remember that customers come to your website to carry out a specific task – find out who you are, buy something from you, etc.
The design of your website should help customers do those tasks.
Test the website.
What happens when things go wrong. Do you know when things go wrong?
Usability
If customers can’t use your website to do stuff, even if the website looks nice, is it doing its job?
Remember that customers come to your website to carry out a specific task – find out who you are, buy something from you, etc.
The design of your website should help customers do those tasks.
Test the website.
What happens when things go wrong. Do you know when things go wrong?
Usability
If customers can’t use your website to do stuff, even if the website looks nice, is it doing its job?
Remember that customers come to your website to carry out a specific task – find out who you are, buy something from you, etc.
The design of your website should help customers do those tasks.
Test the website.
What happens when things go wrong. Do you know when things go wrong?
Usability
If customers can’t use your website to do stuff, even if the website looks nice, is it doing its job?
Remember that customers come to your website to carry out a specific task – find out who you are, buy something from you, etc.
The design of your website should help customers do those tasks.
Test the website.
What happens when things go wrong. Do you know when things go wrong?
Usability
sensible.comsensible.com
Examples…
boomkat.comboomkat.com
www.flickr.comwww.flickr.com
waterstones.comwaterstones.com
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/
moo.commoo.com
www.cardinalmaritime.comwww.cardinalmaritime.com
www.traditionalpaving.co.ukwww.traditionalpaving.co.uk
www.autotrader.co.ukwww.autotrader.co.uk
www.bbc.co.ukwww.bbc.co.uk
Coffee break
Please take this opportunity to fill in the assistance form that is in your pack.
Thank you!
Are you clear on what you want your website to do?
Make a list of requirements in non-technical language
Be specific – you want a search, but how should the search results be presented?
Itemise each requirement so a “cost” can be attached to them – time, money, resources
Put requirements into phases – this prioritised list can be the start of your website business plan
Refer to the website business plan in meetings with developers
Writing a website specification
Are you clear on what you want your website to do?
Make a list of requirements in non-technical language
Be specific – you want a search, but how should the search results be presented?
Itemise each requirement so a “cost” can be attached to them – time, money, resources
Put requirements into phases – this prioritised list can be the start of your website business plan
Refer to the website business plan in meetings with developers
Writing a website specification
Are you clear on what you want your website to do?
Make a list of requirements in non-technical language
Be specific – you want a search, but how should the search results be presented?
Itemise each requirement so a “cost” can be attached to them – time, money, resources
Put requirements into phases – this prioritised list can be the start of your website business plan
Refer to the website business plan in meetings with developers
Writing a website specification
Are you clear on what you want your website to do?
Make a list of requirements in non-technical language
Be specific – you want a search, but how should the search results be presented?
Itemise each requirement so a “cost” can be attached to them – time, money, resources
Put requirements into phases – this prioritised list can be the start of your website business plan
Refer to the website business plan in meetings with developers
Writing a website specification
Are you clear on what you want your website to do?
Make a list of requirements in non-technical language
Be specific – you want a search, but how should the search results be presented?
Itemise each requirement so a “cost” can be attached to them – time, money, resources
Put requirements into phases – this prioritised list can be the start of your website business plan
Refer to the website business plan in meetings with developers
Writing a website specification
Are you clear on what you want your website to do?
Make a list of requirements in non-technical language
Be specific – you want a search, but how should the search results be presented?
Itemise each requirement so a “cost” can be attached to them – time, money, resources
Put requirements into phases – this prioritised list can be the start of your website business plan
Refer to the website business plan in meetings with developers
Writing a website specification
www.37signals.com/papers/introtopatterns/www.37signals.com/papers/introtopatterns/
Be clear on what you want to achieve
Think about your audience
Research other websites – competitors, market leaders, websites your target audience would visit
Ask friends, family and colleagues what websites they like and DON’T like – and why.
Make a list of websites you like, don’t like, compete against or aspire to
Homework
Be clear on what you want to achieve
Think about your audience
Research other websites – competitors, market leaders, websites your target audience would visit
Ask friends, family and colleagues what websites they like and DON’T like – and why.
Make a list of websites you like, don’t like, compete against or aspire to
Homework
Be clear on what you want to achieve
Think about your audience
Research other websites – competitors, market leaders, websites your target audience would visit
Ask friends, family and colleagues what websites they like and DON’T like – and why.
Make a list of websites you like, don’t like, compete against or aspire to
Homework
Be clear on what you want to achieve
Think about your audience
Research other websites – competitors, market leaders, websites your target audience would visit
Ask friends, family and colleagues what websites they like and DON’T like – and why.
Make a list of websites you like, don’t like, compete against or aspire to
Homework
Be clear on what you want to achieve
Think about your audience
Research other websites – competitors, market leaders, websites your target audience would visit
Ask friends, family and colleagues what websites they like and DON’T like – and why.
Make a list of websites you like, don’t like, compete against or aspire to
Homework
Find and employ a web professional
Some quick tips…
Do you know who owns your domain name?
Do you know when your domain name will expire?
Do you have an automatic renewal process in place?
Do you know which company you registered your domain name with?
Use a service like whois.net or nominet.org.uk to find out details about your domain name
Domain names
Do you know who owns your domain name?
Do you know when your domain name will expire?
Do you have an automatic renewal process in place?
Do you know which company you registered your domain name with?
Use a service like whois.net or nominet.org.uk to find out details about your domain name
Domain names
Do you know who owns your domain name?
Do you know when your domain name will expire?
Do you have an automatic renewal process in place?
Do you know which company you registered your domain name with?
Use a service like whois.net or nominet.org.uk to find out details about your domain name
Domain names
Do you know who owns your domain name?
Do you know when your domain name will expire?
Do you have an automatic renewal process in place?
Do you know which company you registered your domain name with?
Use a service like whois.net or nominet.org.uk to find out details about your domain name
Domain names
Do you know who owns your domain name?
Do you know when your domain name will expire?
Do you have an automatic renewal process in place?
Do you know which company you registered your domain name with?
Use a service like whois.net or nominet.org.uk to find out details about your domain name
Domain names
Keep all the paperwork about your website in it
Keep a copy in another location
Keep it up-to-date
If you can, make scans of those paper documents and save them as images or PDFs as backups
A “lever arch file” for your site
Keep all the paperwork about your website in it
Keep a copy in another location
Keep it up-to-date
If you can, make scans of those paper documents and save them as images or PDFs as backups
A “lever arch file” for your site
Keep all the paperwork about your website in it
Keep a copy in another location
Keep it up-to-date
If you can, make scans of those paper documents and save them as images or PDFs as backups
A “lever arch file” for your site
Keep all the paperwork about your website in it
Keep a copy in another location
Keep it up-to-date
If you can, make scans of those paper documents and save them as images or PDFs as backups
A “lever arch file” for your site
Do you get statistics on the use of your site?
Do you know about statistics services like Google Analytics and Mint?
Use statistics to find out things like
•Popular pages
•Search phrases
•Which sites are linking to you
•Popular times people come to your site
Website statistics
Do you get statistics on the use of your site?
Do you know about statistics services like Google Analytics and Mint?
Use statistics to find out things like
•Popular pages
•Search phrases
•Which sites are linking to you
•Popular times people come to your site
Website statistics
Do you get statistics on the use of your site?
Do you know about statistics services like Google Analytics and Mint?
Use statistics to find out things like
•Popular pages
•Search phrases
•Which sites are linking to you
•Popular times people come to your site
Website statistics
Questions?
Manchester Digital Development Agencymanchesterdda.comtwitter.com/mddamdda.blip.tvdelicious.com/mdda
Pyxisoft: Intelligent Web Solutionswww.pyxisoft.comSteve [email protected]