Do you have defined goals for your Web site? When I say goals, do you have someplace written down goals and objectives for your Web site, which may have a project charter, mission and/or vision statement, target primary and secondary audience for your Web site and what they may be looking for?
If you do not, you are certainly not alone. Many Web sites start with the assumption of goals even if they are not written down. Over time, goals certainly change, just as businesses and their customers change. Having these guiding principles in writing – even framed and hanging in your office – help guide you in your decision-making for changes and enhancements to your Web site.
The Infamous Spaghetti Test
Many people test to see if spaghetti is fully cooked by throwing a piece up on a wall to see if it sticks. Personally I have never done this, but that may be due to being 100% Italian American and “just knowing” when it is done! This analogy is used quite often in business – taking an idea and throwing it out there to see if it sticks. The same can be done with ideas for your Web site, and instead of a wall you would throw it up against the goals of the Web site.
Goals for your Web site should not be in place to slow you and your business down and hinder you in any way. Many times people see something on a Web site and want it on theirs. Whether it is a cool new way to present something or a change for whatever reason, having goals in place should not kill those ideas altogether, rather they should help in their prioritization.
Usability of Goals in Key
So what should your goals look like? The simple answer is they should be in a usable format. Where that may be obvious, it always isn’t. Many times when people or the consultants they hire to build their Web sites define goals, they are lofty, multi-page documents that by their sheer design get stuffed in a file cabinet or in a folder on one’s computer, never to be looked at again. That’s not to say goals cannot be comprehensive, and if they are they should be then boiled down into a 1-page summary easily accessible by those involved in decision-making for the Web site.
As there should not be a schedule to creative-thinking, ideas will come about and they need to be addressed. As mentioned previously, these ideas may not be acted upon immediately but recorded for future consideration. This process is called product management, where the product is the Web site. The product manager for your Web site may be the organizational “owner” of the Web site or a key individual who serves as the traffic cop for such decisions. Your Web site should have a product manager in some form, if for any other reason to have a contact person to report issues to on the Web site.
Start Somewhere
If you don’t have goals, start by writing down something. If you do have goals written, dust them off and review them. The goals for your Web site are ideally a living breathing entity, but not quite a chameleon that is in constant change and flux. They should parallel changes in business as well as advances in Web design and technology. The latter doesn’t mean you and your business need to be on the bleeding edge of Web design, though in 2009 it is not a bad idea to use video on your Web site to talk about your products and services. But if a goal is to be on the bleeding edge and you are not there, this is where goals can serve you well.
The days of the “geek in the corner” hacking away at your Web site are over. It takes a team effort to create a thriving Web site. The best way to keep everybody on the same page is to understand the goals, whether it is for your Web site or your entity as a whole.
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Mike, thanks for this post. Made me realize that it’s time to step back and redefine my network goals. Questions for you though; How intertwined should goals be in accordance to a strategy, say social media strategy. We adjust to whats happening on the web at any given time, should our goals be constantly measures with what our strategy is?
If you wanna charge me for the intel that’s fine, I’ll just get you a good cigar next time we’ll meet.
Cheers.
@Luke - Great question! This piece was written about the Web site itself, but there is a greater set of goals or marketing strategy about your business, which will make for a great next post.
As compared to social media, where you are on other networks and services, your Web site is your “home base” especially where people can find you when Twitter is down. How you are engaging with people should be reflective in your Web site. An example is if you are making a concerted effort to engage in conversation with, say, first-time home buyers, then content should reflect this on your Web site.
In this example, consistency is the key element, just as your branding should be consistent over all media and services you use - online and offline. And I am more than glad to take you up on that cigar to talk more about this!
mp/m
Alright, sounds about right. Transparency should be equal throughout ones entire network, and that has been my main goal, for individuals to see the same “persona” on ever single site, profile, blog you name it.
As for consistency, I absolutely agree with you.
I call it web curb appeal, just like each property has its own. Having your name on a website isn’t enough these days, it’s all about personal branding as if your the biggest “one man” operation out there.
Looking forward to picking your brain sometime in the future.
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The Hot Iron strives to present unique content and point-of-view on business, technology and other topics by Mike Maddaloni, a technology strategist based in Appleton, Wisconsin.
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