Just the other day Web Developers Association of New Zealand (WDANZ) sent me an email requesting some answers to questions that they will use in the Web Developers Association of New Zealand handbook.
I thought they were good questions for the handbook so I replied with my answers, then I thought these are the sort of questions that most new and experienced website owners ask so why not share them with everyone.
So for the viewing public here they are:
Q1. What is the best advice you would give to people planning their first web presence?
A. When looking to plan your first web presence stop and take stock of your objectives, think about the reasons for your web presence and then think about the how.
The How is such things as, How will I find all the material for this
project, How will I market this project, How will I maintain this project
once developed, How will I get it hosted, How will I get it developed, How will I know who to trust, etc.
Then think Who, Who will I choose to build this project (A WDANZ professional?), Who can I get advice from (WDANZ? or professional member.
Q2. What are the three most important considerations when improving the look and feel of an old or tired business website?
A. The three most important considerations when improving the look and feel of an old or tired business website are:
1: Has my target audience stayed the same or changed?
2: Have my objectives for the site stayed the same or changed.
3: How can I provide a useful and pleasant experience for the users of the site (The usability of the site)
Q3. How would you advise website owners to go about maximizing the effectiveness of their website (e.g sales, exposure or other outcomes)?
A. Maximizing the effectiveness of a website comes down to knowing your market, it's competition and where your site is in that market and most importantly who your customers are.
If you know these things well then working with a web marketing professional will be that much easier, ideas will come freely and the web marketing professional can be better informed to help you develop a strategy to get the maximum from your site.
Q4. In what ways do you see the Internet changing the way business is conducted today and likely in the near future?
A. Businesses today are realizing that the web is changing from a just simply getting the message out to a more social and personal thing. New generations always redefine things and we are seeing this today, we are seeing marketing efforts from businesses where social sites like Bebo, Facebook and YouTube have become their play ground. The point is that the internet has changed from individual websites that try to attract users to working together and optimizing opportunities that are on other sites.
Q5. In what areas are most businesses most likely to see growth in their use of the Internet over the next couple of years?
A. Growth will definitely be in the networking sites and the social sites for marketing purposes, internet campaigns will embrace web, cellular, and multimedia like never before.
Q6. Can you highlight a technology or service that you see making rapid advances in the online space?
A. Cell phones are the next natural progression for those that are keen to get the message out, integrated campaigns involving sites, phones and new emerging technologies like the Iphone is where we will see rapid change.
Websites are becoming another tool in the business persons arsenal rather than the latest and greatest technological leap, sites will be the base from which to launch products, competitions and marketing initiatives but cellphones will address the audiences of the future.