7 seconds. That's all you've got!

Not too long ago, just to have a web site was enough. But, today, and particularly in the current economic climate, it is even more important!

Finding and attracting new visitors to your site is difficult enough taking time and effort to get them there.

If they leave immediately, they may never return. You only have about 7 seconds to convince a visitor, when they find your web site, they've arrived at the right destination. Tell them immediately who you are, where they are and what your offering them.

Your website is about:-

branding your business
building customer confidence
customer loyalty and
repeat business
enhancing your bottom line.

Your web site is another business tool!

Your web site is a tool like any other used in your business. Your telephone, mobile phone, company car, salesmen, delivery vehicles are all tools which help in building a successful business. Your web site is no different!

Your web site! What's really important?

How it looks, how pleasing it appears, important as they are, are secondary to the content and how relevant it is to your visitors and how easy it is for them to find the information they are looking for.

A good first impression

Its functionality, usability and accessibility all contribute to your visitors experience. If it's a good experience they might stay and return again and again but if not... they are likely never to come back again!

Your web site design has about 7 seconds ...

Useability research shows that you have, on average, about 7 seconds to convince your first-time visitor they've found the right site. They will leave if it takes too long to load, difficult to navigate or is too hard to find the information they are looking for. Or worse still you don't tell them right up-front what your 'selling'! Make it easy and give them a reason to stay!

Visual impact

The visual impact of your web site is also important but not its primary purpose. It's design should contribute by its ease of use through layout, consistency of navigation and user interface to help visitors to find what they are looking for - fast.

Accessibility and useability

Useability and accessibility means making your site user-friendly for as wide an audience as possible. Different groups have different needs and with the final part of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 coming into force in October 2004 there is a growing requirement for your web site to attain reasonable levels of accessibility.

Your web site is an effective advertising medium ...

It is no different than any other advertising or promotional activity undertaken by your business. It's purpose is to advertise, promote and enhance your company image, attract and inform potential users and customers of your products or services.

Dynamic, updating web site content

Unlike, traditional static advertising, such as Yellow Pages, press or magazine ads, your web site doesn't have to be a static one-off exercise but can be a dynamic and ever-changing 'shop front' attracting and encouraging visitors to return again and again...

... and a powerful marketing tool

Your web site is a powerful marketing and promotional tool. And it need not be a great expense to create but can deliver immediate results helping towards achieving your companies objectives and positively contributing to your profitability.

Cost or benefit?

Every activity and tool used in running your business incurs a cost and creating a web site is no different. But with effective implementation and promotion will return cost-effective and measurable benefits.

and the bottom line ...

is whether your web site achieves its aims and objectives and contributes to your profitability.

Once identified and agreed they can be measured to ensure that it does and contributes to your business objectives and your visitor's experience and expectations. And continues to do so!

Start building an accessible and profitable web site now ...

Whether it's a new web site, re-design of existing site, interactive content management system or ecommerce facility; WebMedia will work with you to develop, build, maintain and promote your web site through innovative, standards-based design and state-of-the-art technology.