What is it I want my website to do?

Welcome back to my blog. Whilst I have tried to put a 'smile' on my previous posts, it's time to get a bit more serious with 2010 knocking at the door.

Now, I don't have my own personal website, so my question above is directed at you!

5 months in at bwired and I have been to enough meetings to get a good feel for the current marketplace. Let me say, the sector and the expectations of clients are changing rapidly; but, are you?

The web mantra for 2010 is or should be 'business outcomes'. This is not saying that your web presence needs to be the 'be-all and end-all', but you should start with some basics. bwired's own R.I.S.E. Model is a good starting point, of which, you may have been privy to in previous posts from my colleagues; though it's worth going over once more:

o    Research

Start simple; take a look at your own site, its structure, navigation, content and so on. Is it the true reflection of what you want your web site to be? Canvass your employees and colleagues in other businesses; speak to the Users of your website - these should be YOUR customers or potential customers. If you ask the question, you may be surprised at the answers.

o    Image (or Branding)

As with Research, does the brand reflect your organisation and values? Branding takes into consideration the site aspects mentioned above in Research, but also includes the use of images, style-guides, fonts, colours etc. Again, ask the questions of your key stakeholders

o    Sales

Quite simply, what impact does your website and its features have on your bottom line sales? If there is no discernable or measurable impact, you need to ask why?

o    Operational Efficiencies

Your Internet site could easily be a means to achieving operational efficiencies in many areas including communications, back-end integration, Internal services, segmented ordering and pricing for your customers to name a few.

In reviewing the above, you are now primed to take ownership of your business outcomes and how it plays out strategically for your website and your business.

With the advent of intuitive Content Management Systems and business logic 'wrapped' up as add-ons, ownership should no longer be the domain of your in-house IT personnel; it should be back in the hands of business owners who should be able to both manage the site and the expectations of the business outcomes agreed to.

I mentioned earlier that your website doesn't need to be the 'be-all and end-all'. However, there is nothing wrong with setting this as a goal. One nice aspect of the Internet is that it is a 'fluid' environment. It's not like the old way of IT and bespoke systems that were welded-up.

Ensure that your underlying website platform allows for easy change and above all, do something! Take ownership and remember, successful websites are an intrinsic aspect of an organisations' business strategy; it requires constant attention, innovation and change. Those successful in adopting these strategies wouldn't have it any other way.

Finally, there is no correlation between the size of a business and their corresponding web presence. In many cases, it is the inverse of what you might expect; that is, many small, agile businesses are often leading the way, with scores of large organisations dragging their heals.

Hence, and I ask, "What is it you want your website to do?"

Cheers, a wonderful Christmas and New Year and I look forward to sharing my journey with you in 2010.

Jeff