Web Site Tip of the Month - October '07

This Month's Tip - Give Me More

Last time, I talked about getting beyond the basic information on your website. In order to stand out from the crowd in the webiverse, you need to offer more than your simple stats. You need more than just an internet yellow pages ad.

So, this time I'm going to talk about details and a few features that you can add to your site to give it more value to your customers and potential customers.

I'm Here, Now What

I've talked about the importance of people being able to get the basics about your product or service quickly. And for some people, this may be enough for them to make a decision. For all the rest, you must provide the detail that lets them know you have what they need.

This means you have to get specific. If someone needs a product with a particular capacity can they find out on your site? Do they have to go elsewhere if they need to learn the difference between two levels of a service? Don' just say product A is for "home" use and B is for "professional" use. Tell them why and be specific.

If you have special certification, explain what that means and who certified you. Tell them why it's important and what this means for them.

Do you have a spec sheet you can offer? How about a comparison or buyers chart that people can download? A helpful chart that also has you business name and web address can end up in a lot of places. And while a .pdf file used to be invisible to search engines, these days they are routinely searchable.

Being the go-to website for information about your specialty can only enhance your reputation. What else are you offering?

Features

Blogs

Do you have a business that involves a lot of changes and updates? Have you spent years in your field and have a lot of sage advice and pearls of wisdom to hand out? Do you just like to share your opinions with anyone who will listen? Then a blog might just be the thing for you.

Some blog sites allow you to sign up and just link to your blog on their site, but by installing a blog on your own website, you keep the traffic right where you want it. You also retain control over your blog. You can decide if you want a one-way blog or if you want to go truly interactive and allow your readers to comment back for more of a dialog.

Of course, making your blog interactive means you need to monitor it regularly for things like abusive or inappropriate comments. You'll also need to look out for electronic and manual spam. Using a CAPTCHA will help with spam bots but won't stop people from trying to use your site manually to promote themselves.

Now having a blog is not for everyone. For one thing, it's a lot of work. You have to update your blog regularly and frequently. If you're dealing with a subject like politics or technology, this requires you to keep abreast of the latest developments so your postings will be timely and relevant. You'll have to check regularly for spam. And most importantly, you really have to have something to say and be able to express it well to build up any kind of following.

Forums

Similar to a blog but more interactive, forums go back to the early days of the net. They give the opportunity for groups to get together on your website and share information, answer questions or just check in. It can be a great way to build online community and establish your website as a clearinghouse for information on your subject.

A lot of the same caveats for blogs apply to forums: You'll have to work to keep the spam out and you may have to deal with abusive or inappropriate postings. It's also a lot of work for the moderator of the forum but does not require daily postings of a standard blog. You will need to make sure that questions are answered promptly or people will go elsewhere for information.

Photo Galleries

Installing a photo gallery can also be a way to build community with your viewers. You can show photos of customers using your products. For instance, if you sell items to crafters or builders, you can invite your customers to send you pictures of the finished projects. These can be displayed on your website in different "albums" depending on subject. You can even have a contest and show the winners!

Some photo gallery software gives the option of allowing viewers to upload their photos directly to your web server and set up albums. (They don't show up until you have approved them, tho!) They also have the option for people to comment on the photos.

This is not a complete list buy any means. But, it is enough to get you thinking about ways to improve the content of your website. They more you have to offer, they more reasons people have to choose you. It's that simple.

Remember, on the web, your web site is you

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