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Digg it UP - A Website Checklist
Business Excellence: It's in the Eye of the Beholder
At a recent forum the panel the discussion was around programs that lead an organization to excellence. The most consistent views seemed to suggest that few programs on their own will achieve excellence. There needs to be an overall strategy moving an organization towards excellence. Nothing occurs overnight and each piece of the puzzle has it’s own pitfalls.Looking at the Ford Motor Company, as an example. They have implemented almost every business improvement or business excellence strategy possible and they recently posted losses of about $12 BILLION. Clearly, the strategies they have implemented (TQM, TPS, JIT, Lean, Six Sigma, TOC, and probably more) as well as new IT systems that have been installed, have not led to business excellence.I have seen companies get results from each strategy individually but few have had breakthrough results. Each strategy has usually only focused on on
ging content to hold their interest while they wait. Adding graphic elements always comes at a cost in terms of slower loading times, so only include graphics if they really contribute to visual impact of your website and strengthen your sales message.
At a recent forum the panel the discussion was around programs that lead an organization to excellence. The most consistent views seemed to suggest that few programs on their own will achieve excellence. There needs to be an overall strategy moving an organization towards excellence. Nothing occurs overnight and each piece of the puzzle has it’s own pitfalls.Looking at the Ford Motor Company, as an example. They have implemented almost every business improvement or business excellence strategy possible and they recently posted losses of about $12 BILLION. Clearly, the strategies they have implemented (TQM, TPS, JIT, Lean, Six Sigma, TOC, and probably more) as well as new IT systems that have been installed, have not led to business excellence.I have seen companies get results from each strategy individually but few have had breakthrough results. Each strategy has usually only focused on on
Navigation:
Is it easy to find information on your site? The opening page should tell visitors, at a glance, who you are, what you do, and how to find what they're looking for. From there your visitors should be able to follow a logical path to learn more about various aspects of your business. If you list products or services on your site, organize them in a logical way. If you decide to use graphic icons instead of text, make sure their meaning is obvious. Make it easy for your site visitors to find what they came for.Search engine optimization:
Is your website optimized to rank for important keywords in the most popular search engines? Double check your page titles and meta tag keywords and descriptions to make sure they are accurate and descriptive. Did you Bounced Checks in Your Business Location Outlets
The new check cashing instant clearing will take some time to get use to. If checks clear immediately and deposits take a few days then franchise outlets may find more bounced checks in their establishment.We might also see a major shift in Thursdays Advertising inserts in the Newspapers, also a shift in Thursday junk mail coupons. Retail outlets will not wish to run sales items on Thursdays because they will get too many bounced checks.When ATM cards became more widely used we saw a slow trend away from Thursday ads and it became more spread out over Fridays. Also many mailer coupon packs that are run by franchises may need to switch their delivery dates to coincide more with weekends as the paychecks people get may not have cleared their accounts, while every check they write will.There will of course be more bounced checks in the short term, meaning that this will cost franchise
If you've just finished building your new website (or revamping your old one), how can you be sure it's "ready for prime time"? Or maybe your site's been around for awhile and you think it may be due for a makeover. Because Web technologies, techniques and standards change so rapidly, even a website that seems "cutting edge" when it's built can look obsolete a year later. Or maybe you started out with a barebones website and finally have the time and/or money to take it to the next level. If you'd to give your website the once over, here are ten aspects you should consider:
The new check cashing instant clearing will take some time to get use to. If checks clear immediately and deposits take a few days then franchise outlets may find more bounced checks in their establishment.We might also see a major shift in Thursdays Advertising inserts in the Newspapers, also a shift in Thursday junk mail coupons. Retail outlets will not wish to run sales items on Thursdays because they will get too many bounced checks.When ATM cards became more widely used we saw a slow trend away from Thursday ads and it became more spread out over Fridays. Also many mailer coupon packs that are run by franchises may need to switch their delivery dates to coincide more with weekends as the paychecks people get may not have cleared their accounts, while every check they write will.There will of course be more bounced checks in the short term, meaning that this will cost franchise
Compatibility:
Will your website display correctly for most people regardless of their computer hardware, operating system, browser and monitor resolution? Make sure your site renders properly for as many users as possible. If any features of your website require certain browser plug-ins, provide a download link. Remember that not everyone will have Javascript enabled and that graphics can be turned off by the user; make sure your site will still work without them.Completeness:
None of your website should be "Under Construction". Websites tend to evolve over time and are never truly "finished", but that's no reason for your website look like a construction zone. If you must include pages that aren't completed, at least put some informative content on the page to motivate people to check back later. Otherwise leave out the section altogether until it's ready for prime time.Content:
Do you need to update the text on your site? Have you added services, expanded your product line, targeted new markets, or changed your business strategy? Is your website's description of your company current and accurate, including your contact information? Could the content be written more clearly, convincingly, or succinctly? Could your website be more informative, helpful, interesting or relevant? Would customer testimonials or an FAQ section strengthen your sales message? Check all of your site content for incorrect grammar, spelling errors and typos.Graphics:
Do your graphics contribute to or detract from your website? A website with no graphics would be uninteresting, but a site with too many graphics, animations, and different fonts is overwhelming and distracts from your sales message. The trick is to find the right balance. Use animations sparingly, especially those that "loop" (play over and over). They can easily become annoying and distract from your sales message. Remember that banner ads count as graphics, too, and one or two per page is plenty.Interactivity:
You might consider making your site interactive by adding a mailing list, message board, poll, ezine or guest book. A contest or trivia quiz can attract visitors and bring them back more often. Rotating content like a joke, quote, or tip of the day keeps your website interesting. Don't feel obliged to add all the latest bells and whistles just because you can, but ask yourself whether some advanced features might give your website the edge. If you don't want to provide the content yourself, check into content available from syndicators (just keep it relevant to your target market and your other site content).Links:
Are all the links on your website working? First make sure any links between pages on your site are directing site visitors to the correct page. Check all of your links to other websites, too; the webmaster may have renamed the page or removed it altogether, and those dead links will make your site look unprofessional and frustrate your site visitors. If you've removed some of the pages from your own site, set up a custom 404 page that redirects your visitors to your home page (or a search page) when they try to access a page that no longer exists.Speed:
Does your site load quickly enough in the viewer's browser? The "Eight Second Rule" is a good rule of thumb, meaning no site visitor should have to wait longer than eight seconds to view the opening page of your website. After eight seconds have elapsed, chances are good the viewer will give up and go elsewhere. If you have graphics or animations that take awhile to download, provide some engaging content to hold their interest while they wait. Adding graphic elements always comes at a cost in terms of slower loading times, so only include graphics if they really contribute to visual impact of your website and strengthen your sales message.Navigation:
Is it easy to find information on your site? The opening page should tell visitors, at a glance, who you are, what you do, and how to find what they're looking for. From there your visitors should be able to follow a logical path to learn more about various aspects of your business. If you list products or services on your site, organize them in a logical way. If you decide to use graphic icons instead of text, make sure their meaning is obvious. Make it easy for your site visitors to find what they came for.Search engine optimization:
Is your website optimized to rank for important keywords in the most popular search engines? Double check your page titles and meta tag keywords and descriptions to make sure they are accurate and descriptive. Did you w Do Not Try And Get Traffic Without Reading This
I know you've heard it all. Back links, link bait, video, blogs, and so on and so on. Everything is used for traffic, and each expert promises an almost endless supply of it if you just use "their tool" or "their method". I am here to tell you today to STOP. Do not read another e-book or sales page until you are completely educated in the method of what makes a good site, blog, and online business.Your site is nothing today if it is static. Static pages (like mini sites, and sales pages) are worthless unless they are intriguing, unique, and well branded. And to do that, you need content. Content is hard to come by, though. Take it from me, I really don't have the time to scour the internet looking for content, and when someone finally tells me "this is what it takes to get content on your pages" they're usually referring me to a ghost writer, or some other long, drawn out method of getting decent
>Completeness: None of your website should be "Under Construction". Websites tend to evolve over time and are never truly "finished", but that's no reason for your website look like a construction zone. If you must include pages that aren't completed, at least put some informative content on the page to motivate people to check back later. Otherwise leave out the section altogether until it's ready for prime time.
I know you've heard it all. Back links, link bait, video, blogs, and so on and so on. Everything is used for traffic, and each expert promises an almost endless supply of it if you just use "their tool" or "their method". I am here to tell you today to STOP. Do not read another e-book or sales page until you are completely educated in the method of what makes a good site, blog, and online business.Your site is nothing today if it is static. Static pages (like mini sites, and sales pages) are worthless unless they are intriguing, unique, and well branded. And to do that, you need content. Content is hard to come by, though. Take it from me, I really don't have the time to scour the internet looking for content, and when someone finally tells me "this is what it takes to get content on your pages" they're usually referring me to a ghost writer, or some other long, drawn out method of getting decent
Content:
Do you need to update the text on your site? Have you added services, expanded your product line, targeted new markets, or changed your business strategy? Is your website's description of your company current and accurate, including your contact information? Could the content be written more clearly, convincingly, or succinctly? Could your website be more informative, helpful, interesting or relevant? Would customer testimonials or an FAQ section strengthen your sales message? Check all of your site content for incorrect grammar, spelling errors and typos.Graphics:
Do your graphics contribute to or detract from your website? A website with no graphics would be uninteresting, but a site with too many graphics, animations, and different fonts is overwhelming and distracts from your sales message. The trick is to find the right balance. Use animations sparingly, especially those that "loop" (play over and over). They can easily become annoying and distract from your sales message. Remember that banner ads count as graphics, too, and one or two per page is plenty.Interactivity:
You might consider making your site interactive by adding a mailing list, message board, poll, ezine or guest book. A contest or trivia quiz can attract visitors and bring them back more often. Rotating content like a joke, quote, or tip of the day keeps your website interesting. Don't feel obliged to add all the latest bells and whistles just because you can, but ask yourself whether some advanced features might give your website the edge. If you don't want to provide the content yourself, check into content available from syndicators (just keep it relevant to your target market and your other site content).Links:
Are all the links on your website working? First make sure any links between pages on your site are directing site visitors to the correct page. Check all of your links to other websites, too; the webmaster may have renamed the page or removed it altogether, and those dead links will make your site look unprofessional and frustrate your site visitors. If you've removed some of the pages from your own site, set up a custom 404 page that redirects your visitors to your home page (or a search page) when they try to access a page that no longer exists.Speed:
Does your site load quickly enough in the viewer's browser? The "Eight Second Rule" is a good rule of thumb, meaning no site visitor should have to wait longer than eight seconds to view the opening page of your website. After eight seconds have elapsed, chances are good the viewer will give up and go elsewhere. If you have graphics or animations that take awhile to download, provide some engaging content to hold their interest while they wait. Adding graphic elements always comes at a cost in terms of slower loading times, so only include graphics if they really contribute to visual impact of your website and strengthen your sales message.Navigation:
Is it easy to find information on your site? The opening page should tell visitors, at a glance, who you are, what you do, and how to find what they're looking for. From there your visitors should be able to follow a logical path to learn more about various aspects of your business. If you list products or services on your site, organize them in a logical way. If you decide to use graphic icons instead of text, make sure their meaning is obvious. Make it easy for your site visitors to find what they came for.Search engine optimization:
Is your website optimized to rank for important keywords in the most popular search engines? Double check your page titles and meta tag keywords and descriptions to make sure they are accurate and descriptive. Did you SEO: Using Your Website Statistics To Help Choose The Right Keywords
There are literally thousands of tools that are available on the market to help you choose keywords to optimize your WebPages, but one of the most underutilized tools that you should be using is your web logs. Your web log is the key to telling you who and how people are finding your website. It will also tell you if there are new trends in which people are actually finding your website by keywords or phrases that you may not necessarily have optimized for.All internet marketing and search engine experts will tell you that if you are not in the top 5 records of any search engine results then you are simply not going to get any traffic. This has a certain element of truth to it but is not totally correct. In fact we have had a couple of WebPages recently that were not optimized for any specific keywords or phrases, but these pages have been pulling 50 hits a day, leading to sales even though i
NT> Do your graphics contribute to or detract from your website? A website with no graphics would be uninteresting, but a site with too many graphics, animations, and different fonts is overwhelming and distracts from your sales message. The trick is to find the right balance. Use animations sparingly, especially those that "loop" (play over and over). They can easily become annoying and distract from your sales message. Remember that banner ads count as graphics, too, and one or two per page is plenty.
There are literally thousands of tools that are available on the market to help you choose keywords to optimize your WebPages, but one of the most underutilized tools that you should be using is your web logs. Your web log is the key to telling you who and how people are finding your website. It will also tell you if there are new trends in which people are actually finding your website by keywords or phrases that you may not necessarily have optimized for.All internet marketing and search engine experts will tell you that if you are not in the top 5 records of any search engine results then you are simply not going to get any traffic. This has a certain element of truth to it but is not totally correct. In fact we have had a couple of WebPages recently that were not optimized for any specific keywords or phrases, but these pages have been pulling 50 hits a day, leading to sales even though i
Interactivity:
You might consider making your site interactive by adding a mailing list, message board, poll, ezine or guest book. A contest or trivia quiz can attract visitors and bring them back more often. Rotating content like a joke, quote, or tip of the day keeps your website interesting. Don't feel obliged to add all the latest bells and whistles just because you can, but ask yourself whether some advanced features might give your website the edge. If you don't want to provide the content yourself, check into content available from syndicators (just keep it relevant to your target market and your other site content).Links:
Are all the links on your website working? First make sure any links between pages on your site are directing site visitors to the correct page. Check all of your links to other websites, too; the webmaster may have renamed the page or removed it altogether, and those dead links will make your site look unprofessional and frustrate your site visitors. If you've removed some of the pages from your own site, set up a custom 404 page that redirects your visitors to your home page (or a search page) when they try to access a page that no longer exists.Speed:
Does your site load quickly enough in the viewer's browser? The "Eight Second Rule" is a good rule of thumb, meaning no site visitor should have to wait longer than eight seconds to view the opening page of your website. After eight seconds have elapsed, chances are good the viewer will give up and go elsewhere. If you have graphics or animations that take awhile to download, provide some engaging content to hold their interest while they wait. Adding graphic elements always comes at a cost in terms of slower loading times, so only include graphics if they really contribute to visual impact of your website and strengthen your sales message.Navigation:
Is it easy to find information on your site? The opening page should tell visitors, at a glance, who you are, what you do, and how to find what they're looking for. From there your visitors should be able to follow a logical path to learn more about various aspects of your business. If you list products or services on your site, organize them in a logical way. If you decide to use graphic icons instead of text, make sure their meaning is obvious. Make it easy for your site visitors to find what they came for.Search engine optimization:
Is your website optimized to rank for important keywords in the most popular search engines? Double check your page titles and meta tag keywords and descriptions to make sure they are accurate and descriptive. Did you You Can Start A Business In 2007
The new year is upon us and for many it is a tough time of year financially because let’s face it, most of us overspend and find ourselves in over our heads with debt in the new year. You have thought about starting a business and may have thought about this for months or even years but for whatever reason you never get started and get discouraged. Here are some reason’s why people never start: 1) Don’t have the finances 2) Not sure how to start 3) Don’t have a definite business idea and fear that it won’t work anyway. 4) Too risky 5) Can’t leave their current job to start a business full timeThis is a list of only a few reasons and there are many more but let’s not go there. What is the point? I am writing this to tell you that you can do it and there are clear cut plans to get started. If something is that important to you then somehow you will find the finances to get
relevant to your target market and your other site content).
The new year is upon us and for many it is a tough time of year financially because let’s face it, most of us overspend and find ourselves in over our heads with debt in the new year. You have thought about starting a business and may have thought about this for months or even years but for whatever reason you never get started and get discouraged. Here are some reason’s why people never start: 1) Don’t have the finances 2) Not sure how to start 3) Don’t have a definite business idea and fear that it won’t work anyway. 4) Too risky 5) Can’t leave their current job to start a business full timeThis is a list of only a few reasons and there are many more but let’s not go there. What is the point? I am writing this to tell you that you can do it and there are clear cut plans to get started. If something is that important to you then somehow you will find the finances to get
Links:
Are all the links on your website working? First make sure any links between pages on your site are directing site visitors to the correct page. Check all of your links to other websites, too; the webmaster may have renamed the page or removed it altogether, and those dead links will make your site look unprofessional and frustrate your site visitors. If you've removed some of the pages from your own site, set up a custom 404 page that redirects your visitors to your home page (or a search page) when they try to access a page that no longer exists.Speed:
Does your site load quickly enough in the viewer's browser? The "Eight Second Rule" is a good rule of thumb, meaning no site visitor should have to wait longer than eight seconds to view the opening page of your website. After eight seconds have elapsed, chances are good the viewer will give up and go elsewhere. If you have graphics or animations that take awhile to download, provide some engaging content to hold their interest while they wait. Adding graphic elements always comes at a cost in terms of slower loading times, so only include graphics if they really contribute to visual impact of your website and strengthen your sales message.Navigation:
Is it easy to find information on your site? The opening page should tell visitors, at a glance, who you are, what you do, and how to find what they're looking for. From there your visitors should be able to follow a logical path to learn more about various aspects of your business. If you list products or services on your site, organize them in a logical way. If you decide to use graphic icons instead of text, make sure their meaning is obvious. Make it easy for your site visitors to find what they came for.Search engine optimization:
Is your website optimized to rank for important keywords in the most popular search engines? Double check your page titles and meta tag keywords and descriptions to make sure they are accurate and descriptive. Did you Build It and They Won't Come: Why You Need an Integrated Marketing Plan
In the early days of the Internet, just having a website was cause for celebration. But like everything else Internet-related, the rules are changing faster than coders can key in ones and zeroes. Now a successful ecommerce site must do more than just show up; it must also have a fully integrated marketing plan.Unlike the Hollywood fairy tale of “build it and they will come,” designing a beautiful website isn’t enough. Companies need to be proactive if they want people to come, and they have to build trust if they want to shoppers to buy. Separating web-savvy consumers from their hard-earned greenbacks takes more than just a “for sale” sign; it takes a complete interactive marketing plan.You need to balance traditional marketing with search engine marketing in order to pull customers to your website. While search engine marketing and pay-per-click advertising will attract the first-time sh
ging content to hold their interest while they wait. Adding graphic elements always comes at a cost in terms of slower loading times, so only include graphics if they really contribute to visual impact of your website and strengthen your sales message.
In the early days of the Internet, just having a website was cause for celebration. But like everything else Internet-related, the rules are changing faster than coders can key in ones and zeroes. Now a successful ecommerce site must do more than just show up; it must also have a fully integrated marketing plan.Unlike the Hollywood fairy tale of “build it and they will come,” designing a beautiful website isn’t enough. Companies need to be proactive if they want people to come, and they have to build trust if they want to shoppers to buy. Separating web-savvy consumers from their hard-earned greenbacks takes more than just a “for sale” sign; it takes a complete interactive marketing plan.You need to balance traditional marketing with search engine marketing in order to pull customers to your website. While search engine marketing and pay-per-click advertising will attract the first-time sh
Navigation:
Is it easy to find information on your site? The opening page should tell visitors, at a glance, who you are, what you do, and how to find what they're looking for. From there your visitors should be able to follow a logical path to learn more about various aspects of your business. If you list products or services on your site, organize them in a logical way. If you decide to use graphic icons instead of text, make sure their meaning is obvious. Make it easy for your site visitors to find what they came for.Search engine optimization:
Is your website optimized to rank for important keywords in the most popular search engines? Double check your page titles and meta tag keywords and descriptions to make sure they are accurate and descriptive. Did you work your keywords into the actual page content as well (including variations)? Is your website focused on a specific theme, and do you have plenty of informative content related to that theme? Is your website spider-friendly (meaning search engine spiders can access every page and read the most important content from the source code)?Style:
Is your website's style consistent with your business goals? Ask yourself what you want your business image to be, and make sure your website enhances that image. Is your company's style polished? Friendly? Trendy? High tech? The look and feel of your site should reflect that style. Does your website still compare favorably with those of your competitors? Your website should reflect favorably on your business and help you to build your corporate image. If yours doesn't, maybe it's due for a makeover.Usability:
Usability refers to how easily site visitors can use your site. The best measure of usability is feedback from users -the people who visit and try to navigate the site. If you have received complaints, comments, questions, or suggestions from site visitors, change your site accordingly. Of course, dissatisfied customers won't always let you know. That's why you should also analyze your Web logs to see whether visitors quickly abandon certain pages or don't visit some of your pages at all. Think in terms of building pathways through your site that visitors can follow. A well-designed website leads visitors deeper into the site without frustrating or confusing them and doesn't lose them along the way.
HTTP = HTML link (for blogs, profiles,phorums):
<a href="http://www.diggitup.net/article/86284/diggitup-A-Website-Checklist.html">A Website Checklist</a>
BB link (for phorums):
[url=http://www.diggitup.net/article/86284/diggitup-A-Website-Checklist.html]A Website Checklist[/url]
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