Return to Frequently Asked Questions

Improving Your Existing Web Site

Been there. Done that. Didn't work. What can you do to help me?
Contact us for a free consultation if you see yourself in any of the following comments.

• It's all hype. Amazon.com may be making millions but I'm not.
• I spent lots of money developing my site ... I can't see that it has generated a dime of profit or an ounce of interest.
• My site is the pits. It looks like my brother-in-law did it ... and he did :-)
• My site looks great ... once it loads. It is really slow and we've had complaints.
• I got a cookie cutter approach. I need a custom solution.
• My site is a nice "brochure" but I know we need to do more.

Content. Content. Content.
Location, location, location - the real estate mantra. Well, in our humble but experienced opinion, the key to a great Web site and the key to returning visitors is great content. People will even partially ignore a bad design and poor graphics if you provide them plenty of interesting content. Text is cheap ... you can add lots of text content to your site for relatively little money. What content would be of interest to your audience? Look at your newsletters, trade/industry publications, frequently asked questions by your customers. Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience. An example ... we designed the web site for Logan Heating & Air Conditioning ... no traditional e-commerce here, no online sales, a local company ... but great content and a huge success! As an alternative, visit another web site in the business (a non-competing company, and no, we did not do this site :-) ) Need we say more ... missed opportunities!

Does your site need a facelift?
You've got great content and your site was the cutting edge two years ago. But now it looks dated and stale or maybe your content has outgrown your old design and navigation system. Or maybe you just couldn't live without blinking text because it was all the rage in 1997 ... now you can't stand it and your customers snicker when they visit your site. Can visitors to your site return to your home page without using the back buttons on their browser? These are just a few examples of problems/imperfections that warrant a redesign of your site. And often, a total redesign is not necessary but just a touch-up. We can help.

Do your graphics need a diet?
How long does it take for your site to fully load? Do visitors click off your site without viewing the content because they are tired of waiting for the graphics to load? For all the talk about "broadband" connections like DSL or cable modems, the majority of users still connect at 28K (many still connect at 14K). A few years ago, when the Internet was in its infancy, users were so wowed by the possibilities that they were also wowed by flashy graphics. Now, most users surf for content ... they know what they want and they want it now. Tastes differ and many clients like expressive graphics. (We work for you ... so you get to choose.) But we recommend that graphics be used to project the company's image, aid navigation, and accent your site. They should not be a deterrent to your site and its content nor should they be the focus (unless graphics/art are your business). With new compression techniques, even large, expressive graphics can be pared down in file size without losing image quality.

Are you ready for e-commerce/e-business?
E-commerce, e-business, new paradigm, the new economy ... all buzz words. Say e-commerce and what comes to mind? Amazon.com, EBay, etc. A few years ago, most Web sites were simply online "brochures". Now, the Web is a critical marketing tool - an integral part of the marketing mix - for some companies the top marketing consideration. But e-commerce/e-business is so much more. E-business encompasses all the ways that a Web site can improve communication, distribution, customer support, marketing, etc. Often e-business is more about reducing costs (e.g. reducing mailings of catalogs) or improving productivity (e.g. applications and content aimed at sales force support) than direct sales.

We can help you improve or redesign your site. We can help you develop applications and online solutions to reduce costs and improve productivity. We can help you do e-commerce/e-business. Contact us for a free consultation to learn more about options for your company.

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