Nearly everyone has stepped into the World Wide Web, but some have perhaps stepped into the wrong end. Shoddy, disorganized sites clutter the virtual marketplace, as companies still struggle to create a value proposition out of their online worlds.
In 2004 there were over 13 million auto parts purchased online, and the Web influenced another 40 million offline purchases, according to Denise Chudy, head of automotive for Google.
Whether revising your current website or posting a new one, keep the following points in mind.
1. Consistency is key
When Lund International reviewed its overall Web strategy, the manufacturer found inconsistency among its various brands, says Paula Sliefert, director of marketing for the company.
“We were getting a lot of feedback that it was difficult and people didn’t understand that they were still on the same company’s website.”
Lund consolidated its many different servers into a core of similar design templates, so navigation throughout the company’s different brands had a sense of consistency.
2. Keep it simple
We’ve all seen the horrid “what not to do” websites, littered with multi-colored text and a smorgasbord of information in which every available inch of space is crammed. Web pages should be kept as simple as possible.
Your company may make or distribute thousands of SKUs, but the website user should only see the products or systems they’re looking for, not menu after menu of categories.
So, an effective search function is a necessity, but the more minimal the interface, the longer you’re likely to keep customers online.
In keeping things simple, you should also only request the information you need from users when putting together an e-mail newsletter, advises Sliefert from Lund.
And when you do send e-mails, make sure it’s at least 75 percent requested content and no more than 25 percent sales-pitch related, she adds.
3. Have a ‘banner’ year
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a banner ad should contain as few words as possible.
People tend to just glance at banner ads, so make sure to grab their attention quickly, says John Zinn, vice president of Ten Magazines, who adds the click-through rate of banner ads is only .5 percent, all the more reason to quickly grab the user’s attention.
“People are not clicking on banners the way they used to, but they’re not ignoring them either.”
Non-animated, or static, ads take advantage of the Web user’s attention deficit. Animated ads should also be kept simple as well (no flashing lights or whirlwind of activity), the message should be given out quickly and the ad should emphasize some sort of sweepstakes or giveaway, or what Zinn describes as a “call to action.”
Also, make sure the click-through site delivers on this call to action, and does not create any dead ends for the Web user: find ways to return them to either your home site or the site they were on when they spotted the banner ad. Additionally, make sure your products and company are properly branded with prominent logos, the same rules you would follow for the printed page.
4. Marketing is no different
“E-Marketing is no different from any other marketing project you’ll undertake in that it requires time to plan, careful implementation and measurement at every step,” says Dan Jondron, president of Advanced Digital Strategies. Web marketing, he adds, should hold a subcategory in the company’s marketing budget.
“Too many times e-Marketing is thrown off to the IT department when it’s not funded, and those people don’t have the power and the ability from branding and communications on the corporate level to do a successful job.”
This approach, says Jondron, often opens the door for an unsuccessful strategy.
Lastly, many Web-savvy people recommend maintaining your website and content in-house.
An online service from edit.com sets up a platform for “DIY editing.” The company states that its editing service works with any existing website. The company also provides custom services such as newsletter subscriptions and databases.
The best way to gauge an effective Web strategy is to surf the Internet and look at what competitors are doing. Also, ask yourself what you like as an online user. Chances are, you already know how to make your website a better one.
