Corporate Website Design
According to research in 2004, 90% of corporate websites failed and had poor layout, navigation, search, and content. Although, the situation has improved somewhat in 2009, companies and government departments have a long way to go when it comes to providing accessible, usable and informative websites.
Template design
Custom template design is important to ensure that the website design fits the content and the menu chosen allows for easy navigation. Multiple templates may be used to organize content to sub sections within the same website.
Content
Writing and organizing content to ensure that users can easily find information or online forms is an essential part of corporate website design. Images and graphics chosen appropriately. Downloadable pdf files give users the option of printing forms or brochures.
Flash Animation and Multimedia
Use of banners, flash animation, videos, and music files can aid in user experience.
Adding Functionality
Online forms, video tutorials, forums, blogs, chat software, sms messaging, newsletter sign ups, content management systems, surveys, archiving of old content can all be incorporated into a website and compliment the business website.
Usability and Accessibility
Often overlooked is the fact that all users access the internet on the same type of computer or browser and a proportion of users may have sight or other disabilities that make it difficult to access information on the internet.
According to a study of 100 FTSE corporate websites in 2004, corporate websites also failed in accessability.
- 79% failed to achieve even the most basic of guidelines set out by the international web standards body the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
- 78% of corporate web sites were not compatible to multiple browsers.
- 99% of corporate websites used invalid HTML coding
- 100% failed to implement access keys - helping people who cannot use a mouse to move around the site.
- 5% of web sites were completely inaccessible and impossible to access using a screen reader http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/0,39020369,39119004,00.htm
The situation today is better and worse. Although companies and government are aware of the issues, there is still inadequate testing for accessibility. Planning is critical to corporate website design but it does negate the need to test the site for usability and accessibility.
Government and companies must also realize that not all people have equal access to the internet and a company must always allow for users to access important information and forms from an alternative sources. eg. Printed forms.
Assessment of goals
Corporations need to re-evaluate the goals, purpose and scope of a public website. Fostering a positive attitude towards the corporate website must come from the executive level and management need to fully understand the benefits of electronic communication and e-commerce and utilize and incorporate a website in the day to day business operations.
Websites can be used to
- publish news and events, special offers, important real time information
- publish product information, files, prices
- take online orders, surveys,
- disseminate news through e-newsletters
- perform functions
Once goals are established, a plan can be developed to best achieve those goals.
Ways to improve a corporate website
- Use website logs to determine the current website usage, demographics, etc.
- Identify purpose and audience of website.
- Review website content, removing outdated content or rewriting content that is difficult to understand
- Develop effective web copy that is concise, accurate and that reflects the goals of the organisation.
- Plan navigation of website - important information should appear on the homepage
- Review plans and copy and ensure that important information like contact details and real time information is not missed.
- Implement functionality that will enhance customer service.
- Conduct usability, accessability and statistical analysis of current website, identifying goals, purpose and scope of each study.