Would you start a business without a plan? Probably not. Having a solid business plan is fundamental to the success of an organization. In the same way, every website needs a strategy.
Why it matters
A website's success is determined by whether or not it accomplishes its purpose and helps grow the business. A website strategy will detail the site's objectives, provide guidance on its development, and specify the goals it should be measured against. In other words, it will not only provide you with the roadmap to success, but also give you the markers you need to gauge its performance and make educated decisions.
Understanding the risk
Many websites do not have a clear strategy guiding their growth, and lack any measurable goals. This is a problem that is exacerbated by the fact that websites are often designed, updated, and maintained by several different agencies, or departments within a business. Without a clear website strategy that ensures these groups are working towards the same business goals, things can quickly go awry and a website's performance could suffer.
The big difference
Websites that have a strong strategy are well optimized for search, have the most relevant content, are popular, and usually generate conversions in a few clicks. In fact, a solid strategy can make the difference between a website that's a mere informational resource, and one that's a valuable tool that helps an organization achieve its objectives.
5 Tips to make it happen
A clear strategy is key to a website's success. Below are some tips to help you develop yours:
Why it matters
A website's success is determined by whether or not it accomplishes its purpose and helps grow the business. A website strategy will detail the site's objectives, provide guidance on its development, and specify the goals it should be measured against. In other words, it will not only provide you with the roadmap to success, but also give you the markers you need to gauge its performance and make educated decisions.
Understanding the risk
Many websites do not have a clear strategy guiding their growth, and lack any measurable goals. This is a problem that is exacerbated by the fact that websites are often designed, updated, and maintained by several different agencies, or departments within a business. Without a clear website strategy that ensures these groups are working towards the same business goals, things can quickly go awry and a website's performance could suffer.
The big difference
Websites that have a strong strategy are well optimized for search, have the most relevant content, are popular, and usually generate conversions in a few clicks. In fact, a solid strategy can make the difference between a website that's a mere informational resource, and one that's a valuable tool that helps an organization achieve its objectives.
5 Tips to make it happen
A clear strategy is key to a website's success. Below are some tips to help you develop yours:
- Define goals: Involve all your decisions makers in defining the goal of your website and how it will achieve business objectives. Be sure to secure the support of executives and key decision makers within your organization.
- Put someone in charge: They should be familiar with web development and marketing. Their role is to prioritize and guide all website strategy efforts to ensure resources are being used effectively. They should also establish a chain of command to communicate and explain the website strategy to your management team, agencies, and employees.
- Define your audience: Based on the goals of your website strategy, clearly define the users you want to visit your site. This will enable you to determine what content you need on your site and where these users will search for it.
- Value your conversions: Prioritize and determine the dollar-value of your website's conversions based on your business objectives and online goals. Doing so will aid your budget and resources decisions and help you measure success.
- Track and analyze: Choose an analytics package that will enable you to track your website's key actions and analyze user behavior. This data will allow you to understand your evolving audience, and measure the success of your website strategy.
To leverage your website as an effective tool to help your business grow, make sure it has what it needs to get the job done: a clear strategy.
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