A modern website

No longer is a website an online flyer for your business.

A website is a business tool to be leveraged and utilized in the same manner as a physical location, high level human resource, or valuable intellectual property.  Websites are to be strategically created to support organizational goals in a way that engages current technology.  The modern website is both a necessity and as well as an opportunity for differentiation and profit.

Two keys to modern website

In order to build a modern website, two aspects determine it’s success.  A modern website is:

• Fast & usable
• Part of a plan

There is no room for departure.  Without both of these aspects being considered and addressed when building a website, it will fail to live up to it’s potential and may in fact do harm to an organization’s brand.

1. Fast & usable

Users respond to various characteristics of a website.  The visual design is indeed important, but by no means is it everything.  Considering the design of a website without considering the performance or functionality, can be detrimental to it’s success. We like to frame our analysis of a website into four key metrics.  Users should be able to:

1. Find your site easily
2. View it on their device
3. Get what they want quickly
4. Share it effortlessly

If users are unable to perform any of these tasks, it will influence their perception of your brand and directly effect their decision to interact with your organization. Adequately addressing these metrics will make a site useful and performant.  These metrics will help a website strategy to focus on the aspects which will drive success.

2. Part of a plan

Even if a site is fast and useable it can not stand alone.  A modern website is part of an organizational strategy, a marketing plan, a product lineup or some other strategic purpose.  It is not simply a billboard on the internet superhighway.  It must be considered in the context of how it serves an organization’s goals.  We lead this planning discussion by answering these three questions.

1. Why does your organization exist?
2. How can a website help to serve the why?
3. What exactly should the website do?

By answering these, the core purpose and direction for a website can be established. It will guide the strategy for the website in the context of the organization’s goals in order to best align with the existing vision and mission. It will ensure that a website does not stand alone, but serves a specific purpose in the context of a larger plan. This helps to clarify the responsibility of the website and determine who should be involved in it’s creation as well as ongoing care.

Success is within reach

We believe a website is an incredibly valuable tool for many organizations. These two key factors help any organization or agency lead strategic discussions to build a successful website strategy. A modern website is a fantastic tool, especially when it’s fast & useable, and part of a plan. Anyone can build a website, few build one that achieves the envisioned result. Keep these two keys in mind and success is within reach.

Contact us if you’d like help with your website strategy.

info@openformstudio.com