Web Presentation, What Form?

When approaching any website design, no matter if it is a new site or a redesign of an existing site, the first question that should be asked is; what style of presentation should the web site take? This is in fact many questions within the one question, e.g. who makes up the targeted audience, what exactly is being promoted or sold through the web site, what is the image that should be projected? These are but a few of the questions that should be answered before a presentation style is decided upon. The list of questions is endless; therefore it is your responsibility along with the guidance of the web designer to determine what the priorities are in the factors that determine the presentation style of the web site. This article will try to steer the potential web site owner in the right direction when considering the differing factors. The subtopics within the article will be products/services, targeting a market, and image projection.

Addressing the first subtopic; products or services may initially appear simple enough, but is it? You will be familiar with the products or services you supply, but how familiar is the target audience? Begin this process by forgetting about web sites, focus on the products or services. Using a pen and paper jot down the major categories, break these categories down to sub-categories and repeat until you arrive at the actual base products or services. For example an estate agent may begin with two major categories: commercial and domestic. Within domestic there could be flats, detached, semi-detached, mid-terrace, end-terrace, cottages, and bungalows. Straight forward it is not, the estate agent has to cross reference all the sub-categories in to geographical areas, house sizes, price range. All these compounding factors will affect the final presentation style the web site. Visitors to the site have to be able reach the houses they are interested in quickly and without fuss. For example they may be interested in 2 bedroom flats in Glasgow’s West End, 1 and 3 bedroom flats are of no interest, and the price range must be between £170K-240K. There is nothing more frustrating to a web site visitor that requesting specifics and only be bombarded with what they would consider superfluous information. It should be considered critical to the web site that product and service categorisation is accurate and simple to navigate.

The second subtopic also appears simple on the surface, determining the target audience. Alas if life was so simple we would all be in the high earning bracket. As the Internet and the World Wide Web expands the globe it is not uncommon for web site owners to envisage a specific sector of the world population as their market. This is of course an unreality, unless your product or service is quite unique. Yes, people in Europe do buy product from the USA, Hong Kong, etc, but this is a low percentage of the web’s transactions. The best starting point for determining your targeted audience is your current market and let it grow from there. Take a builder for instance; the builder’s most likely market is placed geographically local to their place of business. The builder should analysis the demographics of the existing customer base over the last two years along with the work content. For arguments sake let say that 70% of the work entailed the installation of new kitchens and bathrooms, the customers where between the ages of 35-55 years old. The other 30% was made up of odds and sods. It would be very easy for the builder to decide that the targeted audience would be home owners between the ages of 35-55 years old, but what about the potential growth of the other 30%? Has the builder considered dedicating the work schedule to installing kitchens and bathrooms for the 35-55 year olds? If so has the competition in such a competitive market been considered? The builder of course could opt to target a wider audience as a general builder, but what benefits would be gained by implementing a web site? Today’s world is becoming a market of specialist, locally and globally. There is only really one of two ways to target any audience, in a general fashion, looking for high turn around or a very specific fashion, lower turn around but with a higher profit margin. The details of the target audience is obviously directly associated with the products or services you are offering, it may determine if geographically you are targeting the nation, shire or city. Think very carefully when determining the targeted audience and by all means seek the advice of you web designer. This is probably the most complex task you will have as a potential web site owner. Far too specific to overly detail here in this short article, possible material for a follow up article.

Image projection, the third of the subtopics is both objective and subjective in nature. Everyone has their own idea of what their image should be: conservative, fun, young, etc. Image projection is mostly about balance. For instance if I am a local solicitor dealing with criminal through to family law, I would want to project the serious nature of law, but reflect an approachability that would put potential clients at ease. However, if I were a toy shop proprietor the image I would want to reflect would be one of fun, education and child safety. It is all in the balance; very few circumstances would dictate a narrow banded image projection. The image that is projected will very much be determined by your products/services and the targeted audience. But do not forget that your business is unique by definition and the image should be as such.

In conclusion, when it comes to web site presentation, think products/services, target audience and image projection. These are three factors that are technical design independent. By all means seek the advice of your web designer, but remember you will know your business better than the designer.

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Web Designer/Developer. Academics: BSc(Hons) Psychology, Higher Diploma in Computer Studies, Certification in Web Application Development and in Social Science. www.georgebarr.co.uk/ www.webdesignglasgow.georgebarr.co.uk/ www.webdesignedinburgh.georgebarr.co.uk/ www.webdesignstirling.georgebarr.co.uk/

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