Ever go site browsing? Looking around at other websites to see how your's compares, or what’s “in”, or what’s eye-catching? If no, you should. If yes, you may be languishing thinking of your site as you gaze and ooh-and-awe at some of the competition.
Next time you go browsing around, maybe even looking at your own site, ask yourself, “Who is this site for?” Is it for advertising? Attracting new folks? Use on a regular basis for information? Directions and times?
Here is the web’s golden rule to follow, above all others, when it comes to a website: WHO IS THE USER?
If your site’s user is 55 years of age or older, tiny print may not be a good option. Little tiny print can be interesting in some places, but can your predominate user read it?
Do you feel users access your site via cell phones on a regular basis? Guess what? Those sexy animated sleek flash sites being touted quite a bit by website builders may not be seen on all types of cell phones. Oops! Coming out in the very near future is a new interface bridging this gap. I predict its fluid use in the next 12-24 months. In the meantime, there may be folks not seeing what you’re saying.
Do you know if most of your users have high-speed Internet? If not, big downloads or streaming video may not be a good option for your site.
Are your users web-savy? Do your users IM? (Instant Message) Use Facebook or another social site? Play games online? Surf the Net on a regular basis? Know what Twitter is?
Don’t think these questions are trite. If your site is predominately used for communication with your congregation, make sure they know basic computer skills OR know their level of Internet expertise. This may sound crazy. Trust me. Not everyone knows the ins and outs of today’s technology. If you have invested in a website, make sure your users understand the components or you may be putting a great deal of time and effort into a tool not being readily used.
As a web designer, it is part of my training to help my clients develop the best site for their needs. It irritates me when I see designers selling sites that may look incredible but have little functionality for the user and absolutely no sense of navigational structure. Websites don't come with users manuals. That is why it is of the upmost importance for the site to be built to suit the needs of the user.
In the book "The Cider House Rules", John Irving's main character is sitting one hot night on the roof of the cider house with an African American man who is one of the apple farm's share-croppers. : They come intemporarily for the harvest and stay in the cider house. He asks the man why no one in the cider house follows the rules posted on the mainframe post inside. The worker's response does not reveal defiance or disgruntlement against the management. His response is a simple statement of their life situation. The occupants didn't follow the rules because they couldn't read. They had no idea what was on the piece of paper.
Who is your user? Who is your visitor? How do you help them know the rules?
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