 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
Industrial web sites for manufacturersWeb site developmentIt is critical to ensure that your masthead, navigation scheme, and web site text are developed to maximize the impact of your web site on your target audience. Can you create high-resolution graphics that can be compressed for quick site loading? Are you or your staff capable of taking well-lit, well-exposed, photos using both film and digital media that communicate what they should to target audience members? We recommend you get professional help to not only create these items
but to ensure they function properly on your site.
Selecting a web site designerIt is important to locate and interview the company who will design your web site and get it launched. There are literally tens of thousands of vendors designing web sites. We have met and discussed web site development with hundreds of developers over the past few years. We have found very few that truly understand the key elements to designing a successful industrial web site. These include:
If you identify a web site developer that is truly gifted in all these
areas, give us a call at 800-470-7845 or send us an e-mail
at info@kochgroup.com so we can
refer them to our clients! The web site development needs of a consumer service provider or retailer are not the same as yours. Make sure the developer you contract with understands the unique needs of the industrial web site. Choose carefully!
Site navigationYou need to determine what type of navigation scheme will work best for your site. Is vertical better than horizontal? Is left side better than right side? Remember as you make your selections, the site must be easy for the visitor to navigate and find the information they need. As a frequent user of all manner of web sites, sites designed so the visitor must continually go to the home page in order to navigate the site will frustrate your end users. Make the navigation scheme able to take visitors to your site wherever they need to go. Include a sitemap for the ultimate ability to peruse all your web site pages. Since a web site is continually being developed, make sure your navigation can easily be updated in the event that you wish to add new products, services, and any other sections that will assist your end users in finding your site.
Web text developmentThis is the not as easy as it sounds. You may be a good text writer, or write very concise business letters. That doesn't mean you can write good text for your web site. Web text writing requires conciseness, to not burden the visitor with extraneous words. However, to drive potential visitors to your site using search engines and directory searches, the text not only must contain keywords likely to be used by potential customers, but also be a little redundant so keywords and keyword phrases are used frequently. Writing good web text is a departure from writing good text for a brochure or other marketing or promotional pieces.
Competitors' web sitesIt is always good to search out other web sites that offer similar services or products. Some will have good ideas for the sections your site should have or maybe some really unique feature that can be incorporated into your site. You may determine a company you believed to be a competitor is not and vice versa. You'll find both good ideas and bad ideas. You'll visit well-crafted web sites and you will examine some sites that are embarrassing to that company. Nevertheless, there is always something to be learned from the competition's web presence.
Graphic designMost manufacturers have produced brochures, flyers, advertising pieces or own artwork used in previous promotional pieces. It is always tempting to use artwork you already own. That may or may not be in your best interest. Artwork intended for printing may not be as well suited for use on the web. Discuss your existing artwork with the web developer to see if it is appropriate for the web. If it isn't, search for stock photography before you commit to using a professional photographer. However, don't fall into the trap of shooting your own photography. You want your web site to convey a professional image of your company. Don't detract from its look by using shoddy photos or cheap graphics. Make sure you address these items:
Remember, your company probably provides industrial services or component parts. Don't make a glamorous looking web site. Potential customers want to determine if you can be a successful vendor and a glamour web site doesn't convey the correct image you need.
Artwork ownership and selectionDecide what artwork you can use from what you already have. For what you need to create for the web site make sure the ownership is yours! We often hear horror stories from our manufacturing clients about not owning the artwork to prior brochures, flyers, older web sites, or advertisements. They simply assumed they would own the rights and did not ask. Specify
on the P.O. you generate or any contract you sign that all "artwork, photos,
graphic images, etc," become your property once you have paid for them.
Keep possession of your own artwork if you have an appropriate area to
store it or safe computer storage if it is digital artwork.
Recommended web site sectionsWhat sections should your web site contain? That depends on your target audience, but many industrial web site can use the same types of major sections. The include:
Ask yourself a simple question before you decide what pages your site requires. What do you want a particular page to accomplish? What do you want the visitor of that page to do when they are completed viewing that page? Drive them somewhere in your site to contact you or to view your services. Don't let a page be designed for no apparent purpose. Make sure you include complete contact information on the bottom of every page address, phone number, fax number, toll free number, and email address. Don't make your site visitor work to get in contact with you.
PhotographyIf you need to get custom photography shot, keep in mind some key ideas. Make sure the people shooting your photos, whether in-plant or in-studio, are professionals. Look at other photography they have shot. Talk to some of their customers. Did they need to re-shoot because of poor quality, lighting, or dissatisfaction? Good photography makes a web site pleasing to the visitor's eye. If pages look bad due to poor photos or graphics, it reflects poorly on your company. Find a photographer that understands the digital world. What used to be required for a good photo produced on paper is ever changing in this digital age.
Advertising coordinationJust because you are developing a web site, and it takes some time and effort, make sure you consider how it will tie in to other advertising or promotional activities you will engage in. Can you use the artwork for ads in The Thomas Register or trade magazines? Did you include your new URL in your ad copy, brochures, letterhead and business cards? Make sure your customers and potential customers see your web site URL on all hard copy from your company. Next:
Web site launch >> Related industrial marketing tips
If you would like more information about how a traffic driving web site can increase sales opportunities for your company? Please call us at 630-941-1100, use our contact form or email us at info@kochgroup.com to find out how.
Services | Benefits
| Projects | Success
Stories | Presentations | FAQs
|
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
