(originally published in The Jerusalem Post, January 2003)

Taking Your Business to the Web

SHOULD I DESIGN THE WEBSITE FOR MY BUSINESS?

You've decided to launch a site to attract new business. And you’ve seen that anyone with a computer can build a Web site, just as anyone with a video camera can make a movie. So creating a business Web site sounds simple? Read on to ensure that creation of your site furthers -- rather than impedes -- your business.

Budgeting your time sensibly is important; no matter how basic your site, you'll need to learn -- if not master -- several computer programs. Do you have time to experiment? Or is this a job that can more profitably be delegated while you run your business?

Secondly, do you have the inclination to do all the preparatory work necessary to create an effective site? Some of this work precedes a site project even if you hire a designer: gathering suitable material (both text and photos), registering a domain name, and arranging hosting.

But after these preliminaries, if you’re building the site yourself you must also devote time and effort to designing effective presentation of your material.

EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION? I'LL BUILD A PAGE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT MY COMPANY AND PHONE NUMBERS -- AND I'LL MAKE IT LOOK COOL WITH COLORS, PHOTOS, AND ANIMATIONS SO VISITORS WON'T GET BORED. ISN'T THAT ALL THERE IS TO IT?

It's a common misconception that site design is a three-part proposition:

• giving information,
• making the pages look cool/pretty, and
• generating lots of traffic.

Presenting information effectively, however, is more complex. A Web site not only transmits facts, it simultaneously conveys an image of the person or company or organization it represents. Whereas for a personal home page you're free to do anything that appeals to your own tastes, for a business site you must take into account additional elements.

WHAT ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS MUST BE CONSIDERED?

A well-designed business site will have an attractive appearance that enables it to communicate effectively with its target audience. Let's deal with these interlocking elements in reverse order.

Target Audience (focus)
This is arguably the most important consideration when planning your site. Who are your target customers? What would most appeal to them? The more specifically you can define the demographics of this group, the better you will be able to anticipate what would attract them to your site. Focus on the type of visitors who will purchase the goods or services that you provide and who will return again and again.

Communicate Effectively (function)
To persuade the target audience to purchase your services/products, you must provide compelling content, and this content must display without malfunctioning. The site must load quickly and be easy to navigate. Once you've attracted your audience, they should stay on your site long enough to become persuaded to do business with you. The site must also display well on a variety of browsers and computer models. An additional, and highly important, functional concern is optimizing the site for high search engine placement.

Attractive Appearance (form)
Don’t confuse "attractive" with merely "cool" or "pretty." The key here is to make sure that the site's appearance attracts, and then maintains, the positive attention of your audience. Aesthetic decisions must be guided by the preferences of your intended customers. Ideally, you'd have a public relations firm conduct primary market research and would then format your site according to their recommendations. But it's also possible to gather this marketing information by analyzing the design decisions adopted by larger companies that have a target audience similar to yours. (See resources)

HOW DO I COMBINE THESE THREE FACTORS WHEN PLANNING MY SITE?

You've heard the century-old adage "Form follows function." In an effective Web site, both form and function are preceded by focus. Focus on your target audience, and transmit the information they need in a format that will appeal specifically to them.

Let's say your business is a realty firm. If your present and potential clients are upscale buyers, the site should connote exclusivity, luxury. On the other hand, if you deal mainly with a budget-minded clientele looking for small properties or rentals, the site should convey friendliness, efficiency.

To illustrate in broad terms the differences between sites geared to these markets -- luxury vs. budget -- visit and analyze representative Web sites. Upscale business sites, typified by Saks Fifth Avenue or Mercedes-Benz, share significant style elements: with subtle color schemes, they're elegant, traditional. By contrast, sites for budget-minded customers, typified by Ace hardware or McDonald's, are highly colorful, and aim for a look that's more "fun". All four sites are effective, and each suits its audience well.

Many businesses serve neither exclusively high- nor low-end customers, but those somewhere in the middle. Furthermore, markets can of course be characterized by many other factors in addition to income: age, culture, gender, level of education, geographical location, etc. You must define your audience precisely and design the site with their specific needs and preferences in mind.

Remember: Form follows function; both follow focus.

This column opened by comparing site building with filming a video: both use simple tools to produce a final result. Let’s take that comparison one step further. Home videos are suited for filming birthday parties; TV commercials are filmed by pros. When your Web site is personal, definitely do it yourself; when it represents your business, you’ll probably need a professional.

Next month’s column will discuss how to find a designer suited to your particular business.

Optimizing sites for search engines

Cross-browser/cross-platform compatibility

Ensuring access for people with disabilities

Source for the quotation "Form ever follows function": Louis Henry Sullivan (1856-1924), U.S. architect. "The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered," Lippincott's Magazine (March 1896).

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