Listening to the Web

Every couple of years, Home Accents Today launches a newly redesigned Web site. Technology changes, designs are improved, and the way people use and interact with a Web site adapts.

Just like a showroom floor, a Web site is meant to be flexible and ever-changing. Each year, manufacturers spend a lot of money laying out their showrooms to entice buyers, and retailers hire the best designers with one thought in mind — collecting dollars out of people's wallets. Why should your Web site be different? It can provide access to your store or showroom 24/7 — something no market building or storefront can ever do.

Think of Ikea's famous method of keeping people in their store — forcing them to walk by almost every piece of merchandise before they exit. How can that strategy be adapted to your online presence?

When it comes to Internet marketing and Web sites, what is unique to the home accents market is people aren't so quick to adapt change. More than half of consumers say they are researching and shopping online, and they will dictate how they want to search, find and buy on Web sites. Are you listening to them?

Many retailers, consumers, vendors and suppliers land on our Web site and answer questionnaires, polls and leave general comments about what they want. And we have tried to listen to what they've told us as we redesigned.

When contemplating a redesign, think about the following problems that we hear about most often:

• Navigation that is confusing, making it difficult to remember and use
• Slow download times for pictures and graphics
• Rudimentary design, lack of content and ugly colors
• Broken links and frequent technical errors
• Lack of overall satisfaction for the users

Web sites can be one of your best sources of promotion. When created and used properly, they can elevate your business to new levels of success. Ask yourself these four questions:

1. Who is your audience and how do they interact with your site? The best source of information is your Web metrics, which tells you where people enter your site, what words they used to find you, where they left your site, and how long they stayed on each page.
2. What sites do you visit and why? Look at the sites that are most popular with your target market and examine why they work.
3. What is the purpose of your site? Are you selling, promoting or introducing who you are? This will determine where to focus your energies.
4. What do you want to improve? Do you want to add podcasts, use different imagery or change the flow of the site?

There is no set of rules that governs how to build a site — and if there were it would change weekly — but listening to the visitors of the site can help meet the demands of the audience.

Embrace change. It is tough for us, but occasionally we have to change, too.

After all, we all need to keep our edge in this ever-changing business climate. We hope you enjoy the new HomeAccentsToday.com.

Watch this space every month for Business Memo. Our experts will present ideas and examples to help you be more successful in operating your own business.