Less is more (what you need on your website)

Last time we talked about determining goals and plans for your new site, now let’s dive into the specifics of what you need on your site.

There are a lot of articles out there that say you need specific pages or specific content (like this one). All of that is fine and may apply to you and your business. But in this post, I want to ask you…

What’s Important?

Think about your business. Put yourself in the shoes of your viewers and customers.

  • What is the most important information for you to have on your site?
  • What do your viewers/customers/clients need and want to see?
  • How is that information organized?
  • What is unnecessary (and potentially gets in the way)?

Think in terms of the entire site.

Then, think about it page by page.

For example, if you own a restaurant, do you need your physical address, phone number and hours of operation listed clearly on your site? (The answer is yes.)

Do you need photos of every dish, the entire history of your restaurant and detailed directions for getting there? Probably not. (Remember almost everyone has a GPS now, so as long as you have your address and there’s nothing weird about it, you should be good.)

Once you define this…

Build it, polish it and get it out the door.

Less is more

Here’s where you may get stuck.

Right after the site is built, but BEFORE it’s released (somewhere during the polishing process), you may think, “Oh wait, what about this? Let’s add this. And this. And this. And this. And don’t forget this! We have to have this.”

You lose sight of your plan. Maybe you think the new things are necessary because your old site had them. Maybe your competitor’s site has them. Maybe you’re afraid of publishing the new site. Maybe you just want all. the. things.

Going down this rabbit hole generally won’t add much value to your site, but it probably will push you over your deadline and your budget.

Don’t get stuck in the trap. Remember that a site with the most important info is better than:

  • The old site you haven’t updated in YEARS
  • No site at all
  • The fully developed, brand new shiny site with all the bells and whistles that doesn’t get released or is cluttered and confusing

Don’t worry!

Publishing the site at this point doesn’t mean that you’ll never change your site again. In fact, I recommend revisiting your site, your information and your goals OFTEN.

Now it’s your turn! Clearly define what information your viewers and customers need, then build, polish and release it. With that, you’ll have a great site and tool for your business.

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