Website Evolution – Which Stage is Right for You?
Website Evolution – Which Stage is Right for You?
If you try and progress too quickly – into a website stage that doesn’t suit your business – you will become disappointed and possibly waste a lot of money.
This is because to get the most from your website it must be integrated into your business – serving your business objectives.
If the website is too ‘advanced’ for your situation, you wont use all the functionality. Wasting money (and worry) on features you don’t need.
If you are too advanced for your website, then your growth will be restricted. You’ll miss opportunities and lose sales.
The stages of website evolution are:
Directory Listing - single page website with basic contact details. This page may be ‘parked’ at your web host provider.
Passive Information – explains a bit about what you offer.
Benefits Oriented – sales-oriented language to attract the attention of visitors.
Interactive – offering some method of interaction such as newsletter, discussion group, or blog.
Kiosk – displaying short range of products and services available for purchase online, utilising web-based payment system.
Database – large range of products or information in dedicated integrated online database. Search usually required to locate items.
Business System – complete web-based business system online for accounts, reporting, sales, inventory etc.
Success comes from planning your website around your business requirements.
Plan ahead for the growth you expect. If needed, create your website with the capability to expand into the areas you will need.
When thinking about what you need in your website take into account the nature of your business, the number and type of products or services you will be offering and the degree of interaction you want to have with visitors.
What actions do you want visitors to take?
Make sure the website stage you choose will suit the outcomes you desire.
For example, if you only need to display your contact information so customers can telephone you – then don’t waste money on a more sophisticated website with newsletter or ecommerce options.
On the other hand, if you have a large database of products that your customers will need to search and find what they want, make sure your website makes that easy to do. In this case a searchable database would be better than a long list of products on a page.
However, not all businesses will necessarily want to progress through each stage of website evolution. Large businesses may not always want the most function-heavy website.
For example...
take Australia’s Harvey Norman chain of electrical and furniture stores. Their website is used to generate in-store visits. And to promote current sale items.
Harvey Norman has a large range of products, but their website model is to generate in-store visits. Not online sales. So their website supports that objective.
As with all marketing, your website must serve your business objectives. Don’t fall for pretty looks and cute graphics. Make sure your website is a workhorse for you.
Website Evolution Which Stage is Right for You - To learn more about this author, visit Stuart Ayling's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Lately I’ve been talking a lot about websites. Large, small and in-between. And it has become very clear to me that for all businesses there are a number of stages – or ‘evolutions’ - you can progress through when developing your website.
If you try and progress too quickly – into a website stage that doesn’t suit your business – you will become disappointed and possibly waste a lot of money.
This is because to get the most from your website it must be integrated into your business – serving your business objectives.
If the website is too ‘advanced’ for your situation, you wont use all the functionality. Wasting money (and worry) on features you don’t need.
If you are too advanced for your website, then your growth will be restricted. You’ll miss opportunities and lose sales.
The stages of website evolution are:
Directory Listing - single page website with basic contact details. This page may be ‘parked’ at your web host provider.
Passive Information – explains a bit about what you offer.
Benefits Oriented – sales-oriented language to attract the attention of visitors.
Interactive – offering some method of interaction such as newsletter, discussion group, or blog.
Kiosk – displaying short range of products and services available for purchase online, utilising web-based payment system.
Database – large range of products or information in dedicated integrated online database. Search usually required to locate items.
Business System – complete web-based business system online for accounts, reporting, sales, inventory etc.
Success comes from planning your website around your business requirements.
Plan ahead for the growth you expect. If needed, create your website with the capability to expand into the areas you will need.
When thinking about what you need in your website take into account the nature of your business, the number and type of products or services you will be offering and the degree of interaction you want to have with visitors.
What actions do you want visitors to take?
Make sure the website stage you choose will suit the outcomes you desire.
For example, if you only need to display your contact information so customers can telephone you – then don’t waste money on a more sophisticated website with newsletter or ecommerce options.
On the other hand, if you have a large database of products that your customers will need to search and find what they want, make sure your website makes that easy to do. In this case a searchable database would be better than a long list of products on a page.
However, not all businesses will necessarily want to progress through each stage of website evolution. Large businesses may not always want the most function-heavy website.
For example...
take Australia’s Harvey Norman chain of electrical and furniture stores. Their website is used to generate in-store visits. And to promote current sale items.
Harvey Norman has a large range of products, but their website model is to generate in-store visits. Not online sales. So their website supports that objective.
As with all marketing, your website must serve your business objectives. Don’t fall for pretty looks and cute graphics. Make sure your website is a workhorse for you.
Website Evolution Which Stage is Right for You - To learn more about this author, visit Stuart Ayling's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
![]() | |
| |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
|
| |
| |||
Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
|||
Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
|||
Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
![]() | |
![]()
| |
![]() | |
|
| |
![]() | |
|
| |
![]() | |||||||
|
![]() | ||
|
| ||
![]() |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
![]() |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
![]() |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
![]() |
|
|
![]() | ||
|
Top Social Business Blogs
Top Social Entrepreneur Blogs | ||
|
Top 50 Blogs For Startups
Top Blogs To Watch In 2009 | ||
![]() | ||
![]() | ||||
| ||||
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|









Subscribe to Stuart's articles











