Make A Website - Defining Your Purpose And Audience

So, you've decided to make a website and are anxious to get it up and running. Before you jump in with both feet, do yourself a favor and take some time to determine the objectives of your website. I know that sounds boring, but you'll save a lot of headaches and be more successful when you make a website based on a clear purpose targeted at a specific audience.

What is the purpose of your website? Ask yourself why you want to make a website? If the purpose for having a website is to make money, ask yourself how you plan to accomplish this. For instance, you might want to offer your own products or services, make money through affiliate programs, or drive customers to your offline business. You might also be interested in providing relevant information to increase brand awareness or educate your customers.

Describe exactly what you want your website to accomplish. Also think about what you want your visitors to do when they reach your site. Do you want them to make a purchase, sign up for your newsletter, or contact you? Defining the purpose of your website will allow you to design every part of your site to fulfill this objective. Below are some various purposes for a website:

To directly advertise and sell a product. If you want to make a website to produce sales, you can focus on the benefits of one product through a mini-site, or many products through a catalog site. This type of site concentrates on product benefits and price, along with ease of ordering.
To promote and sell your services. To increase your client base, you can make a website detailing the services that you provide and how they can benefit your visitors. Sales can either be made directly online or through offline contact. You can develop an ongoing relationship with your visitors through the use of newsletters.
To provide information. Content sites educate visitors with articles and resources as a way to pre-sell products and services or to earn commissions through affiliate programs. The better you know your audience and their needs, the more relevant you can make your site.
To provide company information. When you make a website that showcases your company, you offer information about your major products and services, general contact information, customer support, etc. This type of website helps to build credibility, drives traffic to your offline business, increases visibility, and boosts brand awareness.

Who is your target audience? Identifying your target audience and their needs is very important before you ever begin to make a website. By having a specific customer in mind when you make a website, you can pinpoint which benefits to offer that will fulfill the purpose of your website.

Think about your potential visitors for a while. Who are they? What problems are they trying to solve? What information do they need? How old are they? Are they male or female? Get as specific as possible about who you want your message to reach. Answering these questions helps immensely in determining your content, structure, and design when you make a website. The better you know your audience and their needs, the more relevant you can make your site.

What image are you trying to communicate? Having a clear purpose and a specific audience in mind will help you develop the look and feel of your website. Your site can be informal, professional, high tech, or entertaining. It can be plain text or have graphics scattered throughout.

Your design will be affected by what your visitors expect to see when they arrive at your site. Depending on your target audience, some visitors will expect to find products and ordering information, while others may want to find information about your area of expertise. Once you figure out what your visitors want, you can then focus on how to present your content.

A website that provides specific information about a subject will have a different look and feel than a website that sells products. If you are providing information, your visitors will expect a site that reflects authority and knowledge. Unless you decide to make a website for entertainment value only, you should probably skip the flash and animation features.

Imagine that you wanted to make a website to sell auto accessories. A site with pretty pastel colors and flowery language just wouldn't cut it. Your target audience would most likely be blue-collar males, 18-45 years old, with experience working on their own vehicles. They want a site that clearly displays product information and pricing with clear-cut order forms. A visitor who easily finds what he or she is looking for will gain trust in what you have to provide.

How a visitor values your website will be initially determined by its appearance. You should make a website so that your target audience can identify with. It's all about marketing. You will be successful if you make a website that fulfills your purpose and is designed to make your visitors feel comfortable. The bottom line is that your website is the most important sales tool that you have.

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