The late ‘90s witnessed almost every business abruptly anticipating to possess a website irrespective of whether they knew the reasons of having a site or not. However, this unexpected advancement in elevation surpassed any genuine comprehension on the benefits of having a web. Companies came up with website only because they required it. After a decade however, many things on what functions and what doesn’t with respect to the internet have been known.

There are some standards to follow whether you are introducing a web firm, creating a website for your book club or getting your business on the web. This will help you to stay away from the most common blunders.

Four important recommendations to follow:

• Match the objectives of the user as well as the business
• Utilize the internet for what it can execute in an excellent manner
• Give importance to the performance more than just having fun
• Kick off in a simple manner and put in all your efforts to remain concentrated

Match the objectives of the user and the business. The primary aspect to know is the reasons on why you require a website as has been mentioned previously. It is important not only to give a thought on what you require, but the things needed by your user. This is because the internet is a free and independent medium. Visitors will only pay a visit to your site only if they require and will only derive those things they require.

Prior to taking a plunge into devising, you have to look at things from the users’ point of view. Ponder over the reasons for their visit to your site and the things you want them to extract.

According to Beth Vanderslice, ex-president of Wired Digital, before you think of launching your site, find an answer to the basic question-What is your goal? He suggests on knowing the tips and tricks on the ways to get closer to your clients and also on the reasons why your clients want to visit your site.

Creating a balance between the objectives of the user and the owner:

The site of the corporate: A corporation would like to place itself again with the help of attractive design and classy porse to elucidate its enterprise. However, the client is only in need of information on a particular product.

The site of the portfolio A web designer may want to show off his talent with the help of a stimulating presentation of multimedia. However, the would-be-employer only wants to know about him, his educational background and the kind of work he handles.

The basic political site: A local cause would like to enhance its membership list, pull in funds and rope in individuals to events. However, the visitor would only like to know about the issues in depth.

None of these objectives are unable to be true at the same time. To be correct, each site has the capability to achieve its main objective and assist its visitors at the same time. However, if the owners of the site do not take into consideration both the set of objectives, which includes that of their own and the users, everyone will stand at a loss.

Utilize the web for what it is capable of. It’s quite common for websites to simply copy another medium. For example, they come up with advertisements similar to that show on television or documents intended for printing purposes. Both of these will turn out to be sluggish, clumsy and displaced as they indeed are.

Hence before reusing an old concept to your fresh site, spend some time brooding over how you can put in something new that will be suitable to the medium.

According to Martha Brockenbrough, the web functions at its best when it allows you to do something which you were incapable of before or something in a relatively rapid, convenient and easy manner. Martha says that eBay took in something from the offline world-classified advertising and with the help of the internet made it superior. She adds that one has to find out the things in the offline world that could be made better with the help of the internet.

Give importance to the functions more than the fun part. This happens to be a lesson learnt by many site owners the difficult way. The internet is best for the purpose of gaining services from it and not for amusement. A great part of the internet companies in the early days like HotWired and Microsoft Network gave importance to amusement with the assistance of the television and magazines to exemplify their site. Also, a large chunk of corporate websites at that time were showy and entertaining. They simply aimed at amusing clients with animation and different games.

Lance McDaniel, the present VP of Creative at SBI and Company, the consulting firm, says that in those days, web owners would direct clients to do the ‘coolest thing ever’ as it was the only thing the medium could furnish. Lance has previously worked for a host of the first corporate websites, such as Levi’s, Dockers and Harley Davidson.

However, things seem to have changed now. A greater part of internet users aim at achieving their objectives. Also, most of the sites are focused on handy and pragmatic applications for their clients.

McDaniel says that people do not use the internet mainly for 100% amusement. He gives an example by saying that if customers are visiting the Clorox website, they will not come there just to be swayed by the amusing Flash animations. He says that people are coming just for getting information-My shirt is not so white, how do I make it appear whiter? Or I consumed some bleach just now. What should I do?

McDaniel loves to recall about those early days but doesn’t seem to crave for it. He says that the internet these days is relatively better than what it was at the time he began and adds that the entertaining websites are amusing and the informative ones provide a lot of information. Give importance to the reasons for someone visiting your site and not only what you want them to extract from it.

However, the internet provides a great deal of entertainment too. There are some amusing sites that have turned out to be successful. Such sites include games, animation and music. However, it’s difficult to provide funds for these sites and also laborious to pull in considerable users. Hence at present, amusement is an option and not a rule.

Begin in an ordinary fashion and immerse yourself into it. While being occupied in a medium where everything seems to be a possibility, one can get influenced or carried away easily. However, the best outcome is possible if you keep the sites as effortless and understandable as possible. Jancie Fraser, a partner at consulting company Adaptive Path, says, “I’ve really learned that less is more”. Janice adds that doing less number of things in a superior way is far more crucial than having a website with plenty of features.

Planning a simple website is justified for many reasons. Janice has developed many websites costing multi-million dollars. Looking from a business point of view, it can keep the site under your control besides making it easy to maintain and with a reasonable price. It also makes easy for users, who find simplified products much convenient and more attractive than the ones that are complex.

After having taken a decision on your important aspect, put in every bit of effort to remain engrossed. Hunter Madsen, online marketing expert, says that one has to find out what requires to be on the internet and then leave it at that point. It’s sound advice requiring a certain level of self-control.

Hunter says that it’s convenient to think of all kinds of amusing things to include in your site through the help of which a customer would derive pleasure as he is a human being. However, Hunter adds, a web owner needs to think of those things which he would find appropriate as he visits your site for the product.

10 things you can expect the web to do:

• Find new clients and markets. With the help of the internet, you can discover new clients and maintain them irrespective of the area and the way of life.
• Transform individuals having a casual interest into clients. New or potential clients are likely to visit your site and learn more once they see your ad, hear your name or pass by your outlet.
• Stimulate repetition of your business. With the help of e-mail alerts and your site, you can update your present clients, readers or members of your latest products, articles, new affairs or incidents.
• Cut down unpleasant leads by explaining your identity, the things you do and don’t.
• To pursue an advertisement and press coverage. If your organization puts up an advertisement or gets included in a magazine, the internet will provide the readers more information on it.
• Cut down expenses rendered on printing and postage. Organizations, whether big or small, reduce their expenses by the replacement of printed collateral and mailings through websites and emails.
• Furnish superior and speedy customer support. Despite the fact that some customer service has to be carried out live, there are certain queries that can be dealt in a better way with the help of a website. These include the background of the company, locality and hours and the specifications of the product.
• Reduce your expenses of phone calls. Less phone calls saves money and time irrespective of the size of your organization.
• Have an idea of the interest of the clients with respect to the products or events. You can have an idea at what customers are interested in simply by looking at what they are looking for when they visit your site. This will assist you to plan out events, placing an order for fresh stocks or figuring out sales.
• Encourage inventiveness. It’s perfect to have some amount of entertainment with your site. However, do not get carried away.