Pub Talk
By Rob Yoegel
About Rob
Rob Yoegel takes an active role in North American Publishing Company's online efforts including content, sales, marketing, usability, functionality and vendor relations as Vice President, e-Media. Rob works directly with publishers and editors in developing a consistent strategy from print to online.
A former journalist, Rob has been involved in Internet strategies since 1996 serving as an associate editor of Target Marketing magazine, where he regularly contributed articles related to the Internet, including e-commerce, Web site design/development, e-mail, fulfillment, customer service and marketing integration. He also spent one year as publisher of PhillyTech Magazine, a regional technology magazine published by Philadelphia Newspapers Inc. E-mail him at ryoegel@napco.com or call (215) 238-5344.
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10 Rules for a Successful Web Site
The one-page tip sheet was produced in response to companies asking a lot of questions about their Web sites, while we were asking them for advertising dollars. The end result was “10 Rules For A Successful Web Site,” which we gave to advertisers and prospects as a thank-you for their business and to show them that we were taking online advertising seriously.
What strikes me today is how relevant some of the rules are, even on the 10-year anniversary of writing them. Some of the highlights:
• Web sites should be BIG (Belonging, Informative and Gratifying). Granted, I didn’t use the words “community” or “sticky,” but a decade later getting loyal, repeat visitors should still be a primary objective of any Web site.
• Don’t make them wait. Ten years ago, before Flash, podcasts, videos or AJAX, folks were experimenting with neat tricks like the html “scroll” tag (only supported in Internet Explorer) and seemingly endless JavaScript code that on pre-broadband connections caused users to click away and head elsewhere. Probably still one of the most important usability issues of today is creating a Web site that loads quickly, while rendering properly in assorted flavors of Web browsers, screen resolutions and devices.
• People will give to get. Regardless of what Rupert Murdoch decides to do with The Wall Street Journal, “gating” content may seem like an attractive option to build a customer/subscriber file. Few sites have succeeded, but those that have offer great content while not asking for a user’s first-born (a lesson trade magazines may never learn). Remember, you can always go back and get additional information from a loyal, repeat visitor.
• A hit means a hit. Still today, I hear from sales reps who say, “XYZ advertiser says their Web site gets 100,000 hits a day.” My reply, “Great, and their Alexa rating is probably really high too (which is equally as meaningless).” Neither hits nor a Web site’s Alexa rating should be used when you talk about Web site traffic.
You can view the original “10 Rules For A Successful Web Site” by clicking on the thumbnail below.
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Nice list of 10 Rob. Hard to believe that was 10 years ago.