It’s finally time for that massive undertaking – redesigning the company website. Being in charge of a task of this size brings with it a lot of power. The determining factor of whether that power helps you or hurts you is your Website Purpose.

What is your website going to achieve?

What are your website’s goals?

Too many companies redesign their website and try to achieve too many goals with a lack of focus. HR wants potential employees. The sales team wants leads. In the end, no one is happy, and the website doesn’t do either well. By coming up with a website purpose, you can hone in on specific areas and perform them beautifully!

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To come up with your website’s purpose, you’re going to need:

1. GOALS!

Yea, yea, yea… you hear it all the time. What are your goals? This is an obvious first step, but a crucial one. You may have company goals in a dusty old tome locked in the underground catacombs of the main office. But are those goals still relevant today?

You need to get everyone together (think C-Suite) to find out everyone’s needs. You may find that people are conflicting. Just remind them that too broad of a website purpose will hinder your ability to do anything well. If your company needs sales, focus on sales.

2. What is the ONE thing you want your website to do?

I can already hear you saying, “But I want to do everything well!” I know, that would be wonderful! Unfortunately, trying to do everything well will cause you to do nothing well. So, if you were tied up and forced to only pick a single thing, what would it be? There is a book called “The ONE Thing” by Gary Keller, who talks about the 80/20 rule. .80% of your results come from 20% of your actions. Only he further breaks it down until he finds the top 20% of the top 20% until he’s left with only one single item.

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Find that single purpose of your website, and you will find the best way to improve it. Ask top-level management about the most important goals for your website. It can spark a great conversation and may bring out some ideas you haven’t thought about. Keep picking at it until everyone agrees on one goal.

3. How can your website help to complete that goal?

All we’re saying is to think it through logically – is your website used for B2B sales? Adding a buy button probably won’t increase sales. But using the website to show helpful videos with a signup button for more info might! Once you have a goal, you’re going to need…

4. Metrics!

Too many entrepreneurs rely on gut feeling instead of measurable metrics. To determine whether you’re hitting your goals, you need a way to measure your progress. Are you getting more sales leads? Gaining an audience to attend events? Finding potential employees?

Too often companies’ new websites don’t hit the goals they hoped it would. This leaves them wondering why. Why isn’t our website getting us more sales? Well, did you build it for that purpose? Build the website with a specific goal in mind. Doing this will help you understand why it is doing well in some areas and not so well in others.

The Bottom Line: Be Deliberate in Choosing a Goal for Your Website.

It may not be easy or feel natural to put so much effort into finding your website’s purpose. But by taking the time to determine a goal for the website you’re able to focus on the things that matter. And do it right the first time. As every good carpenter says, “Measure twice, cut once.”

If you have any questions or concerns about developing a purpose for your website, contact us. We will help you!

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photo credit: Growing Cities, Building Resilience