Successful Websites Have a Message
For a website to be truly successful, it must communicate a cohesive and compelling message. But if you just focus on design or solely on content, your website won't realize its full potential.
Sure, you can grab a WordPress template, throw some content together over the weekend, and maybe, if your product or service is in high-demand, you might see some results -- but that's not what the majority of businesses experience. Most who take this approach revisit their website in a few months and wonder why it's not making them money.
Many people assume that content and design are completely separate and should be treated as such. This is simply not true. Great content tells the story of who you are and why a visitor should care. Great design frames that content in a way that makes it attractive and easy to digest. These two components must work together to compel a visitor to act -- whether it's buying your product or engaging your company for services.
Get Better Results By...
- Waiting until you're in love -- Don't just jump into bed with the first design mockup you're teased with. If you're exploring design ideas and haven't even bothered to talk about content, you might be making a huge mistake that you'll regret for a lot longer than the morning after.
- Spending twice as much time on content -- So many people rush through the content part, like clearing your plate before you get dessert. Whatever time you have allocated for producing your content, double it.
- Involving others -- Very rarely does the entire message for a website come from one person. Involve others in creating the message, you'll be amazed at the results when you throw another person into the mix.
Test, Measure, & Refine
If you produce a quality website, it will weather the test of time. With the proper tools, you can test for results and begin a process of refinement. Instead of throwing your website out each year and starting from scratch, you can now shape and refine the message of your website with actionable data. This will save you money in the short term, and make you money in the long run.