I’ve had the privilege of working with over 200 brands in my career.  Their core competencies ranged from outdoor equipment to health care to comedy touring and each had a unique view of how technology could advance their branding.  While working for these clients, I’ve viewed tens of thousands of websites, analyzed their layouts, user interface clarity, and design, layout, and imagery.  What follows is a categorical breakdown of the sites that had potential,  some succeeded, some failed, and some confused even the most veteran user.

Many sites with great potential end up living up to their expectations.   They utilize the technologies provided them to the utmost using every possible widget, social network, free/paid SEO optimization tricks, and, in some cases, a full on marketing team.  The content they provide is compelling and engaging, and I want to return to the site, because I know each time I’ll learn something new about the brand.

Some used their site to as more of a “Billboard” for their brand, but gave little else in the way of news and information.  A few of these sites fell short when it came to the content on their site; information was disjointed, there was no clear focus, no direction, and what resulted was a bit of a mess.   These sites typically give you a tidbit or two on the brand, ask for little in the way of a call to action and send you on your merry way.

A few of these sites fell short when it came to the content on their site; information was disjointed, there was no clear focus, no direction, and what resulted was a bit of a mess.  There was structure and layout, the opportunity to have a compelling site that urged me to return, but somewhere along the way the content got stale, or the core message was diluted.

There is obviously a spectrum of sites, from great to befuddling.  More times than not a site is defined by content.  What are you trying to say about your brand and how do you convey that message?   What makes a site “sticky” (makes you want to return)?  What makes you want add to the “bounce rate” (get outta there fast!).   Succinctly put, what does your content say about your brand?

The most important function of a site, is less about layout and more about content.  Finding content is extremely important, but you can find someone to assist with where the content pulls into the page.  Once the user has figured out where they’re supposed to look for content; what are you saying?  when did you say it?  how am I supposed to take this information and act upon it?

What: Make sure your messaging is clear and concise.  It needs to keep a consistent tone and theme.  If you’re a sophisticated business, don’t have a top news item that is jovial in nature.  If you’re a comedy tour, don’t be all button down business.  Know your tone, convey your brand, and keep with the theme.

When: The most compelling reason for a user to add to your “bounce rate” is to see the most recently updated item dated July 2009.  Regardless of how well you’ve conveyed your message you’ve already told the user your site is not important to you.  People rarely go back to sites that they know won’t change.  There’s a reason Facebook is the most trafficked site on the internet: constantly updated and changing content.

How: Now that a user has visited your site and taken in your content, what are they supposed to do with it?  Have you given me an easy way to share the content on your site (via Digg, RSS, etc), Have you asked me to make a purchase or sign up for a mailing list?  Always be thinking of the end user, and how to direct them to action.

Keeping these things in mind when updating the content on your site can lead to a great deal of success.  The combination of quality layout and great content will result in a higher probability of a repeat visitor.  Repeat site visitors are more likely to become fans or customers, and those lead to revenue.

At Strategic Blend, we advise and guide clients to optimize their content, build a clean platform to display the content, and discover ways to monetize the fan/customer after they’ve been attained.  We strive for complete optimization of every site, letting the message (content) of the brand speak for itself.  While we are adept in making the site beautiful in appearance, it is our fervent belief that quality content will build a loyal fan/customer base.

If you’d like help on optimizing your content, let us know!