Legal Research

"Effective Websites Have a Purpose. Does Yours?"

Posted by Allison Shields: "When talking about marketing with my clients, I often ask them if they have identified the purpose of the individual marketing activity they intend to undertake. I've written about purpose on this blog in, "As a lawyer-blogger, what is the purpose of your blog?" and in "Why are you doing that? Know the purpose of your marketing" and touched on it in "Which marketing method should you choose?" 

In a guest post on Small Business Trends entitled, "Declutter your website," Chris Finken of Orange Soda reiterates the importance of identifying the purpose of your website and ensuring that every page of your site furthers that purpose. He says, "Even sites that don't sell a product must have a specific call to action on every page of the website. A services business needs the phone number and contact form to be emphasized on every page of its site. Even the contact us page needs a call to action."

Finken also reminds us that most web visitors find your site as a result of searches. Since search engines rank individual pages rather than entire sites, it is quite possible that the first page a visitor sees on your site will not be the Home page. Whatever page your visitor lands on must clearly communicate your purpose.

How well do each of the pages of your site communicate your purpose? Look at your site from a new visitor's perspective. If a client lands on a page other than your home page, will they see a call to action? Will your contact information be readily available on that page? Will the client be able to tell what you do and whether you serve them?

Need help developing your website strategy, refining your purpose or defining your calls to action? Contact me to see how I can help.

The active links are available at the source site listed below.

Source: Legal Ease Blog, 6August 2009

Full post as published by Stark County Law Library Blawg on August 07, 2009 (boomark / email).