The company web site has become a key component to every organization's marketing infrastructure. It is often the first face to your prospects and as such must constantly be improved upon, added to, and/or modified. While there are a variety of elements to a successful Web site, including performance, search engine optimization, usability, and visual design, here are three simple guidelines every Web site should follow…but often don't...

1. Your home page contains a clear tag line or company description that summarizes the objectives of the web site or your organization's purpose

For web sites, first impressions are critical, especially since it only takes a simple click of a button to leave your site. In these first few moments, a user is asking many questions. Did we find the right site? Does it offer what we need? Does it meet our expectations? Do we want to invest time exploring it further?

You can help your web site visitors feel more comfortable in seconds by using an effective tag line or company positioning statement--a short phrase that clearly summarizes the purpose of your web site or the value of doing business with your organization.

Tips:

• Be clear and factual--this is not the time to use abstract slogans that only the most industry-savvy users will understand
• Focus on what you provide and what benefit your customers will get with your product or service
• Use a complete phrase or sentence, rather than a list of words
• Give the statement a prominent place on your home page
  

2. Your web site contains the information commonly expected for the type of site

The heart of any web site is its content. An outstanding site will provide customer-focused content that directly meets the needs of the people who use it. Those needs are based on the questions they have about the organization, the products or services it provides, and in some cases, industry-related resources. Are you effectively answering your web site visitors' questions? Are you proving yourself to be a source of valuable information? Are you making it easy to do business with you? Leading organizations see their web site as an extension of their brand and their customer satisfaction philosophy.

Tips:

• When planning your web site, start with the question “Who is/are my target audience(s).” Who are the groups of people that are visiting your site currently? Who do you want visiting your site (What types of site visitors do you want more of?)
• For each target audience, make a list of the key objectives. What do you want your site visitors in each group to see, do, learn, or take action on when they visit your site?
• Write a list of the most common questions each of these groups may have, information they may need, or business they may wish to conduct while on your site.
  

3. The navigation throughout your site is clear and descriptive

In one sense, using a web site is like following a map …you use visual clues and directions to reach your destination. Your successful progress affects your level of confidence along the way, as well as your enjoyment of the journey. If your current location matches the visual clues, you continue moving forward confidently. If not, you can begin to feel uneasy.

On a web site, those clues and directions are navigation buttons and link names. If they let your site visitors know where they’re about to go, they’ll appreciate the ease with which they can use your site. If not, they can become confused and even frustrated.

Tips:

• Use accurate, descriptive navigation and link names. They should describe the underlying content well enough that there is no surprise when someone clicks the link and views the resulting page.
• Links aren't required to be just one or two words. When appropriate, use a phrase, e.g., "How our process works," or "What clients are saying."
• For links to media files, indicating what type of file and including its size gives the user an idea of what to expect when they click. e.g., "Annual Report (.PDF) (300kb)".
• For email links, make the link text the actual email address whenever possible. Avoid links named "contact us" that can surprise people by unexpectedly launching an email application.
• Test the integrity of your link names by asking, "Is the link destination about ______." (For example: Is the link destination about "click here" or is the link destination about “directions?”

Whether you are planning a new or redesigned site, follow these three basics for improved usability.