Websites that work
Like it or not, websites take work to return results. The sad truth is that many organizations are not realizing the true value of their online assets. After the initial euphoria of launch, neglect quickly sets in, turning the website into little more than a dumping ground for press releases and puff pieces.
It’s not uncommon. Most communicators tend to view their organization’s website as a burden to be managed rather than an opportunity to be seized. Content management ends up being relegated to HR and Communications assistants who aren’t ultimately responsible for enforcing content standards or basic submission criteria.
Professional communicators who have slipped into this more ‘ad-hoc’ approach to maintaining their websites will need to dedicate substantial time to refocus their online strategies in order to create real value.
Here are a few tips to get your website back on track:
Take time to regroup: The most important thing you can do is clearly define your website strategy. Start by taking a step back and considering what you are trying to accomplish with your site and who you are hoping to communicate with. Be realistic about what your strategy can achieve, but imaginative in your planning.
Set the rules: Knowing where you want to go and getting there are very different things. Use your new website strategy to define the types of content that best achieve your objectives. Create and formalize a set of criteria that clearly demonstrate what is appropriate for your website and what isn’t. To make your job easier in the long run, socialize the criteria throughout your organization so that everyone understands the parameters.
Cull out the old and weak: A common problem plaguing most websites is the build up of outdated or useless information. Set a holistic ‘best before’ date and remove or archive anything on your site that isn’t current or relevant – keeping in mind any regulatory obligations that your industry might be subject to.
Clean it up: Ad-hoc approaches lead to websites that suffer from repetitive content, broken links and a multitude of conflicting voices. Small to mid sized organizations often find that centralizing the writing and editing under a dedicated resource (separate to the site’s webmaster) resolves many of these issues. Larger or multinational organizations tend to rely on robust website guidelines that dictate writing style and review requirements.
Consider a facelift: While everyone agrees that new content is a key driver of website traffic, there is a lot to be said for a quick paint job. Switching to your secondary colour palate or occasionally updating your graphics clearly demonstrates that your site is under active management and being kept fresh.
Website management certainly isn’t the most exciting job for professional communicators, but when approached systematically and creatively, it can easily provide the biggest bang for your buck.
Websites that work is one of our Top 10 Communications Issues for 2010. Next week we’ll look at #2 – PR defeats advertising.
