As part of the Design phase of creating an effective online presence, the first thing you should do is look at websites for inspiration.
All of us know of sites we like and sites we don’t like. Sometimes we can’t explain why. Other times, it’s very obvious. When planning your own website, which will be the cornerstone of your online presence, take some time to clearly capture what you like or don’t like about other websites that already exist.
Start by looking at your competitors’ sites so you have an idea of what’s in your “neighborhood”. Then, look at some other sites of companies that are similar to your size and customer base, but are in different industries. Finally, look at sites that you use regularly including ones that are completely unrelated to your business.
For each site, keep track of what you like or what you hate. This will help you establish some guiding principles for how your site should look and work. If you have a chance, ask your customers as well. You may be able to identify patterns for things to include or avoid completely. Since your customers are a sub-set of your potential customers, they can provide useful insight since they are the audience who your website is specifically trying to serve.
Next up is the benefits of creating a site map during the design phase.
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