Tip #1: How Do I Organize My Website?

How Do I Organize My Website?

This is a great question and one I'm asked often. Here's how I like to convey the importance of organization...

Have you ever been to the grocery store specifically to find that one item you need in a hurry? Now imagine you're in the car, you have your list and you've set aside 30 minutes to carefully maneuver your way down that aisles to find everything. 30-minutes should be enough because you know how the store is laid out and exactly where to find things.

You search the store only to discover that Peanut Butter has been moved and is now located on the aisle with the Household Cleaners next to the bleach and abrasive cleaners. What?! That's the question I'd be asking myself. Not only is this inconvenient, it's plain frustrating! Since when do Peanut Butter and Bleach go together?

Organization is key to helping your clients quickly and easily locate what they need from your website. After all, they probably have a limited amount of time in which to spend on it and believe me, if they can't find something - they won't hang out!

The grocery store at some point gave careful consideration to grouping like products together in an effort to help you, the customer, shop. You may be thinking, "Krista - this is just plain common sense!" I'd have to agree with you, but I can't even tell you how many websites I visit where a consideration for the customer has been waylaid by a concern for flashy graphics, cute effects and someone thinking that flash without organization is actually effective. I'm here to tell you, IT'S NOT!

So, guideline number one is...
Group like things together.
How to Start: Take a notepad and pencil and hit your website on the Internet. Look at each page and determine:
1. What products compliment one another?
2. What services compliment one another?

Now ask yourself, should these products/services be located on the same page? If they are alike, consider grouping them on the same page or create a handy spot on your page called "You May Also Like" and place links to other products the client may be interested in. This benefits your client because it saves them time involved in searching as they can easily navigate your website. This in turn benefits you because it reduces the chances they will become frustrated and leave your website without purchasing or contacting you.

Guideline number two is...
Remove outdated information.
How to start: Have you ever noticed the amount of effort a store puts into making the produce appear fresh, and clean? This makes sense right? A grocery store wouldn't leave produce out to become old and rotten. So why would you leave content on your website to become old and stale?

Although we're not dealing with a shelf life necessarily, there are factors that make removing old content from your website something you should take seriously. Visitors will often judge how well you manage your business by how fresh your website is. If for instance the news on the site is six months old, a visitor may decide that you will handle all of your business with the same attention and enthusiasm you put into updating your website. Although this seems shallow, remember, in business perception is reality.

Second, search engines LOVE fresh content. I'll say it again, search engines LOVE, love, love fresh content. The more you update, the more they'll want to visit.

Guideline number three is...
Draw attention to what you have to offer.

How to start:
Grocery stores are constantly placing stands up front by the door to catch your eye and draw you to "What's New." Do the same with your website! Make a list of all new or changed products/services and feature them on your homepage (if possible) or in a "What's New" box with links to be sure prospective clients see them.

Now, if you're feeling overwhelmed or just plain put off by the prospect of combing through your website to organize it for the fall season, give me a call. Website tune-ups are a specialty and I'd love to work with you!