Connectimass

What Makes a Website Successful?

By Dawud Miracle

The internet is full of resources with misinformation, theories, and even myths about what makes a website successful.
But you don’t need myths and theories. You don’t need the latest trendy features. And you don’t need to waste your time or money on hype whose only result is a website that’s little more than fancy electronic brochures.
The truth is, you don’t need a website. Why? Because just having a website is not going to increase your sales. And it’s not going to magically deliver hundreds of clients to your service - or fill your teleclasses.
By now you might be asking, “Then what do I need?”
What you need is something more than a website. You need a solid strategy for solving the problems you and your business face. Problems such as:
* How to attract more clients to your business
* How to make it easier for you to answer questions about your services
* How to keep your business in front of potential clients
* How to increase sales of products
* How to deliver electronic media such as PDFs, mp3’s and video automatically to save you time (and money)
* How to streamlining the signup process for special events, saving you time and money
* And more…

Ultimately, your website should be solving these (and other) problems. Yet even if your website can’t completely solve your problems, then it can certainly go a long way in making them smaller.
The key to creating a successful website is two-fold:
* Knowing exactly what your website can do for you and your business
* And then actually building your website to do exactly that.
Yes, it really is that simple - at least in conversation. Putting it into practice is a little more challenging. Building a truly successful website is all about planning and execution. You need to…
* Know your purpose - Successful websites begin with a good business plan. When you know your business well, it’s much easier to see the true potential a website offer. Knowing your purpose, then, gives you the base to begin considering a plan for your website.
* Plan for success - A good plan leads to success. The internet has close to limitless possibilities. And while this is great news, it’s also the downfall of many of unsuccessful websites. A good website plan keeps the your site focused on its goals so that you can be successful and not get lost in the endless possibilities that plague so many website owners.
* Know your user - it’s utterly important to remember that while you’re building a website for your business, it’s your users (site visitors, clients, customers, consumers, etc.) who will be the ones to determine your website - and business - success. Successful websites are written almost exclusively with the user in mind. We call this “user-centered design.”
* Great content - Let’s face it, content is the reason your visitors come to your website. It’s why they stay. It’s why they buy. It’s why they come back. The better your content, from your user’s perspective, the more successful your website will be. When the rubber meets the road, all the flashy graphics and cool effects in the world will not hold a candle to great content.
* Clear navigation - Navigation are the links you use to move around a website. All the great content in the world is useless if your visitors can’t find it. Just think of how frustrated you’ve gotten looking for tyring to figure out how to find something on a website. How often have you made a purchase or returned to one of those sites?
* Share your self - Your self is a key component of a successful website. Few website owners, and probably fewer website designers, ever consider the importance of sharing your personality in your website. Yet for your website to be successful, it’s important that your visitors get a sense of who you are and how you can care for their needs. After all, any good business, be it sales or service, is in the business of caring for people’s needs.

* Keep content fresh and new - Want to know what makes users return to your website more often than having great content? Having more of it. If a user finds your website valuable, they will want to return. If on their return they find more valuable content than before, or if they are contacted periodically with special offers or useful articles, they more likely to become long-time customers.
So, to use a cooking metaphor, here’s the recipe for a successful website:
* Begin with a clear purpose and a good plan.
* Next combine, in equal parts, easy-to-use navigation, great content and user-centered design.
* Add a dash of technical know-how, a pinch of proven marketing methods and sprinkle with your personality.
* Place on the internet and stir regularly with a good dose of content updates.
* Finished website serves unlimited success potential.
Now don’t worry if you don’t know how to “cook up” a successful website. I do. And I can help you.