Jason Unger

Do You Know Your Site's Goal?

Posted by junger - 08/26/08 at 09:08:32 pm

What's the purpose of your Web site?

No, really.

In 10 words or less, can you explain

• why you have a Web site?
• where you'd like to be in one year?
• what's your plan for getting there?

If you can't, you're in trouble. You're not destined for failure — yet — but you're certainly on the wrong track.

Too often, Web sites get started and run for the wrong reasons.

"I want to have a blog."
"We needed to put something up."
"They're doing it, so we have to."

We're all guilty of this, to some degree. I've started a ton of Web sites on a whim with no real long-term goal — and they've all landed in the graveyard.

So take ten minutes, right now, and determine your site's goal. Some options include:

• to sell a product or service
• to deliver an information product, like news
• to build a brand

Be honest with yourself. It's OK to admit that your blog (while well-intentioned to empower your readers) is really about selling a product. There's nothing wrong with that.

Ask yourself this:

If you had to shut down your Web site today, what would you want in return?

That's your goal. Go out and reach it.

Does Your Content Look Good?

Posted by junger - 12/27/07 at 11:12:57 am

You might have great content, an engaging angle on a topic and a well-thought out story, but if your content doesn't look good, it may not matter.

So how do you make sure that your content looks good?

The background here is that Web users do not read — they scan.

This is why it is important to break up the text with bullet points, write short paragraphs, and be clear and concise.

If your content doesn't look easily digestible, your visitors won't read it.

I don't like when a paragraph goes longer than 4 full lines — normally 3 lines are my max. If it looks like it will take too long to read, I won't read it.

The next time you post a story online, take a look at in in draft mode and imagine yourself as a reader.

Would you want to "sit through" that story?