Every website needs to answer a few questions, if it is to be effective. These questions are not obvious. They make the difference between a repeat visitor and an abandoned session.
Basic questions.
When developing a website, these questions need to be answered:
Why does this website exist?
This asks why you are on the web. Is it because it reaches people not accessible elsewhere? Do you feel it gives you legitimacy? Is this an opportunity to beat competitors? Is it cheaper to distribute information or products on the web?
What is the purpose of the website?
This asks what the focus of the website is. Do you want to entertain, inform, or sell?
What do you want a visitor to do?
This is a call-to-action. On effective websites, a visitor performs some action. Some sites want to generate leads, or get visitors to call, or get e-mail newsletter subscribers, or fill out a form, or, make sales on-line.
Once you determine this, everything else falls into place.
Focus on Copy.
The main page copy needs to tell the prospect WHY they should take some type of action, on the website. Do not use "me too" copy. "Me" meaning the copy is entirely focused on the company. Instead of using company and feature-focused copy, make it customer and benefit-focused.
Traffic Questions.
Once you have determined how to write effective copy, there are still more questions to ask. There needs to be an understanding of how to get "qualified" traffic to the website. "Qualified" traffic is most likely to act according to the copy of the website.
Here are some questions to consider:
Is the traffic visiting "qualified" to view your website?
This relates to its purpose. Be sure visitors are coming for the right reasons.
Is your website where visitors expect it to be?
If not, there is no way the website is effective. It is time to refocus the copy.
Are the keywords, in your copy, laser-targeted to your intended prospect?
Do not use irrelevant keywords, nor copy, on websites. It confuses visitors and wastes website resources. Be clear and concise. It makes everyone happy!
General Recommendations
1. Define your purpose.
Determine clearly, and specifically, what prospects need to do, when visiting the website. This helps to focus the copy.
2. Be clear in your copy.
Focus on the customer, not the firm. No one cares about the firm. They want to know, "What's in it for me?"
3. Provide the specific benefit to the prospect, for every feature. If there is no benefit, don't list the feature.
Use the "So what?"/"What's in it for me?" formula. For every feature, ask those questions. Then, ask it for the answer. Do this until there are no more questions to ask. This process makes your web copy practically write itself.
Conclusion.
The questions above demonstrate what is needed to create focused content. This is the first step toward creating effective websites. This motivates visitors to act, according to your goals.