There are several ‘painting challenge’ style programmes on TV at the moment. One point that is often raised by the judges or mentors is the idea of an artist not simply painting for themselves but for the benefit of their audience. This inward-looking focus can also be a difficulty when a company is creating a website for their small business.
One key – and this is often helped by working with an independent website design company – is to step into the mind of those who have undertaken a search and chosen to check out that site through those eyes. Here are three of the possible range of mindsets occupied by those visiting any website…
I know nothing, or little, about this company
When creating a web presence from inside the company, it’s easy to assume a level of knowledge about that business. The searcher often isn’t looking specifically for that company, it is merely a possible provider of a product or service they require. Therefore, it’s important the design offers a welcome to such visitors and that the content talks to them in a way they can understand and relate to.
I’m not only interested in what they offer
Many websites will focus on the presentation and description of a range of products or services. Yet, for many searchers, this is only half of their story. They are visiting because they have a problem to be solved, a need to be met, an anxiety to be overcome. Therefore, the website should recognise these possibilities, and focus on how that company can deliver a working and welcome solution.
I’m wanting both information and the option to take action quickly
Some searchers will simply want key facts, and then a swift and effective means of completing the transaction or interaction. Others will need much more detail to be convinced. An effective web presence will meet both needs – and all of those somewhere in-between these two extremes.
The above are three of many more nuanced thoughts a searcher will have when visiting a business website. Analysing the possibilities in more detail has allowed us to work with many companies to craft an individually responsive web presence, one that is tailored to each of the many mindsets a site’s visitors may have and enabling them to take the desired action. To find out how our website design team can help your small business, contact us today at Image Concepts.