The key to a successful web site is to create a valuable
experience for the visitor. The purpose of your web site
should seek to help your visitor in some way. This usually
involves providing something of value for free. There are
really only four successful and proven models for a successful
web site:
- Create value upfront via FREE services and information
that is not easily accessible elsewhere. If people like
the web site they will return and then you have an
opportunity to sell them some of your services later.
Another approach within this is to provide the free
information, build the traffic and then sell advertising
(banners, sponsorship etc.) to other web sites to create
revenue.
- Commodity E-commerce Web Sites: everyone knows the
success of computer, software and book sales on the
Internet. I feel this is due, in large part, to the
maturity of the industries as well as the 'commodity'
nature of the goods. These are goods that have become very
competitive and require very efficient distribution and
low cost of sales value. Therefore, the Internet's
efficiency, ease of access to consumer marketplace and the
advancement of technology has facilitated the growth of
this new distribution method.
- Information & Publishing: these are the essential
infrastructure elements that drive the content of the
Internet. If you have information that is unique or not
easily accessible and/or are able to publish these works,
you have a high probability to succeed online.
- Intermediation and dis-intermediation: Amazon.com has
redefined book sales & distribution. It is a classic
example. Books were being sold long before Amazon.com came
along and hamburgers were a big part of the food business
prior to McDonalds arrival. What Amazon did was to dis-intermediation
(remove the middleman) to become the new intermediary
(middleman on the Internet). What Amazon saw was an
opportunity to match books (information) with the needs of
the early Internet community (information junkies, techies
etc.) using the Internet to deliver a larger selection at
reduced prices.
It is important to decide what you want to do with your web
site before you start to build it. When most people begin to
build a web site they usually start by building the web site.
There are at least five essential business planning steps
prior to building your web site. The first step is to identify
the purpose of the web site. Is it to promote, sell or
advertise your:
- Products;
- Services;
- Information;
- Publishing;
- Advertising.
To provide a community area? Create an on-line resource for
a specific industry? Your purpose will determine how you
approach the design, content and focus of your web site. This
will save you a lot of time, money and missed opportunities.
Generating traffic to your web site is time consuming and
hard work. To get the most from your marketing efforts you
want to create a site that has appeal and provides a positive
experience."
