Does your website have a purpose?

According to the Oxford dictionary, “Purpose” is defined as:

1. “The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists
2. a person’s sense of resolve or determination.”

The answer may be to support your business in some way. Do you know why your business exists? So if you know the answer to this question, it will guide the purpose of your website. The purpose of your website may differ from others. There may be several reasons for sites to exist. Some businesses want their website to increase their business, reach their customers, a  target audience, establish themselves in the online and ultimately increase revenues. New ventures may want an online presence, introduce their products and services, generate leads, attract and convert to customers. Brand awareness and building your brand is also an essential objective of your website. Your website’s purpose is linked to the needs of your audience you want to fulfil:

1. eCommerce sites aim to promote and sell products. These sites need to be well optimised to facilitate a high purchase rate. They need to be secure and very easy to use. Assisting customers in making the purchase as well as use the latest online upselling techniques. Selecting and checking-out your purchase need to be easy and quick. Payment options need to be mobile-friendly.
2. Service-based companies need to present their company as a professional, dependable, trustworthy and experienced service provider. Clients usually visit service companies websites to determine their experience, reputation, and how long they have been in business. Good quality content will demonstrate your knowledge, experience, testimonials etc.
3. Providing information and may contain “how to’s”, tips and tricks, fix and repair, guidance, support information, directions, instructions, etc. Companies can use websites to showcase their product catalogues. They will provide a lot of information to their readers. Online training is a great example, where they provide students with a combination of video and text classes—allowing students to access courses from the comforts of their homes.
4. Entertainment sites may provide online magazines, gossip oriented websites, celebrity news, sports coverage, movies, the arts, humorous websites, etc. These sites need to be easy to navigate and must be frequently updated with fresh contents.
5. Interactive sites (Forums or Blogs) can serve as both online journals, information providers and for entertainment purposes. They are usually straightforward to use, written in a conversational style and encourage participation.
6. Social media websites want to make it easy to connect and share contents with your audience. They help to build your network and build direct connections with customers. Two-way communication is facilitated, and customers can provide feedback on products and services.

Knowing the purpose of your website, you can build your company’s reputation both on- and offline. If you are struggling to uncover the purpose of your business or website or if you need more information. We can assist with providing you with a site and all that is necessary to host it. Interested? Let’s have coffee to discuss your needs over a cup of coffee, no strings attached.