Who is your website for?

One of the questions that I ask new clients is “who is your website for”.  Most of the time they answer with “for me and my business”.  While this is somewhat true, the correct answer is “for my customers and potential customers”.

One of my favourite shows is called Property Ladder.  It’s a show about everyday people who decide they can make millions from property by buying run-down houses, renovating them and selling them on.  They key to being successful in this market (according to the host) is to research your potential market and renovate the property towards their needs.  A common trap that 90% of the people on the show fall into is not following this rule and renovating to their taste and needs.

What does all this have to do with websites you ask?  Well the concepts are the same.  While your website is all about your business ultimately you’re not the one using it every day.  The aim of most websites it to sell products and services, so it should be designed with the needs of your market in mind.

With this in mind it’s also important to ensure that the design of your site is consistent with all of your other branded material, so if you hand someone a business card and they go to your website they can visually make the link.  Not only does this make your business look more professional, but it also helps you stick in peoples mind.

Here are my top 3 tips for your website:

1. Know who your website is targeted at, and ensure your site is designed with this market in mind
2. Provide relevant and easy to read content (a professional copy writer is well worth considering)
3. Keep your content up-to-date because content is king.