REPORT: Change IS good
Todd Jamieson
**** Copyright Todd Jamieson 2005 ----- Todd Jamieson, EnvisionOnline.ca (www.envisiononline.ca) ****
Imagine sitting down in front of the TV and watching the same program, over and over again.
For most, the idea of doing this sends them scrambling for the remote. Boredom would set in, as you'd have seen it all before.
Now imagine being a visitor to a web site that hasn't changed in months… Pretty much the same scenario - nothing new to see, so why bother returning?
Updating and refreshing a web site can be a hassle (without the right tools), but keeping site content fresh is crucial for a number of reasons.
Your web site is never finished - unless your business is finished!
Many people fail to realize a business is always changing and growing, no matter what stage of your business life cycle. Articles you added last week may no longer be useful, special events and promotions, products, pricing and trends are always changing.
The Envision Web Panel content management system allows you to update dynamic content easily and quickly - without risking accidentally messing up the code, graphics or deleting important information.
Letting your corporate underpants show
As Bryan Eisenberg of Grokdotcom.com relates, having a web site whose pages are not built with a consistent look and feel throughout is comparable to "letting your corporate underpants show".
An integrated site design is essential to both looking good and preventing client confusion. If your pages don't match, they might think they've been sent to a page on a completely different site. Not good!
For the visitors
Returning to the TV analogy, if you've seen it once, you are less likely to want to see it again. Keeping dynamic content fresh encourages repeat visitors, getting them in the door, so to speak. Once they are there, you need to make sure your core content keeps them there.
Most businesses already do this. Very few businesses use the same ads or sell the same way on a year-to-year basis. Over time, it just loses its effectiveness.
Time for a change
So how do you know when it's time for a change? If you answer 'yes' to any of these questions, it is definitely time:
- Was the last complete overhaul in this century?
- Do you still use HTML/static content on your site?
- Are news items older than a year?
- Does it take longer than 30 minutes to create a new page from start to finish?
- Does the "IT guy/gal" hold the key to your web site?
- Does it take more than a day to post new information?
- Does your web site match your marketing collateral (ads, brochures, etc.)?
- Are you embarrassed to tell people your domain name? (Or worse, do you not even know it?!)
- Do you have a centralized document detailing your current pages online?
- Do you know how well/how bad your web site performs on a month-to-month basis?
Every once in a while, a complete site overhaul is a really good idea. A new design, updated style and fresh colours make your page stand out to new and repeat visitors. So why not try out a new look, just in time for spring?
(c) Todd Jamieson 2004 ----- Todd Jamieson, EnvisionOnline.ca (www.envisiononline.ca)
About the Author:
Todd Jamieson is Founder and President of EnvisionOnline.ca, an Ottawa-based web development and consulting firm. He holds a Bachelor of Business in Marketing from Bishop’s University and has over ten years experience with Internet and database technologies. Jamieson has worked as Project Manager on more than 200 web sites, web applications and Internet e-business initiatives for small and medium sized enterprises. He is also actively involved in a number of other small businesses and is Associate Director of Exploriem.org, Professional Entrepreneurs and Intrapreneurs Organization. He lives in Ottawa with his spouse, Erin.
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