What's Your Website's Mission?

Tuesday 16 November, 2010

by Flying Solo

Whether you're aware of it or not, your website has a mission. Something it needs to achieve above all else.

Even if your website's mission is something you've never considered or discussed, it still exists. Becoming familiar with it will enable you to evaluate whether your site is a success or a failure.
The websites of most Australian businesses tend to have one or more of the following purposes:

• To generate leads.
  
• To generate sales online (i.e. occur on the website itself) or offline (occur elsewhere).
  
• To improve or streamline customer service.
  
• To build a strong brand or presence.
  
• To distribute information.
  
• To attract site visitors and generate advertising revenue.

What's the objective of your own site? With this knowledge in hand, you'll be better equipped to make constructive decisions.

Applying your insights

Not sure how useful an awareness of your website's mission really is? Here are just a few ideas about ways to make it work for you:

• Before adding anything to your website assess whether it will help or hinder your objectives. You'll become more disciplined about only including elements of real value.
  
• Make informed decisions about the relative prominence of items on your homepage and within site navigation.
  
• Evaluate websites with a similar mission to yours so you can understand what makes them a success or a failure - and use that insight to help make your own even better!
  
• Determine an appropriate budget for your website and its marketing by assessing and analysing the actual and potential financial gains from achieving your website's mission.
  
• Analyse your site statistics to make sure you're on track to achieving your goals.

You'll also find that being aware of your website's mission makes you better informed when it comes to talking with your web designer about your site and its goals, and gives you a more instinctive feeling for the solutions they suggest.
If you don't yet have a website, make sure you clearly understand your website mission before you get started. All too often businesses are focused on colour and layout before having clearly determined their website mission.
If you already have a website, spend time thinking about how your website can better serve your business.
Which parts of your website are working for you? Which are simply filling space? Which are actively working against you? Make sure your website and your website mission are on the same page.

Source:ceoonline.com