Website Design - Targeting Your Audience

There are important things to consider with any new (or existing) website project including "who are you trying to attract to your site, what will they find when they arrive, why did they come to your website in the first place, how can you get them to stay or actually buy something (convert) and where do you plan to take this new customer relationship?

Basically, you need a well thought out plan if you hope to be successful. There is so much more to building a website than just writing code, adding pictures and graphics and cool contact forms, etc. You really need to consider what your target market is or "could be" moving forward. Why? Any successful website generally has heaps of content on each and every page that is updated regularly. Success comes from using key words and key phrases (becoming more important now...) on each page because our friends at Google want it that way. Pure and simple. If you don't consider "Google-izing" your website during or after its creation, you can never hope to achieve ultimate success.

Here are some of the most common subjects you should consider when planning the design of your website product.

AGE GROUP

Are you targeting a wide demographic with your products and services or do you have a specific age group in mind?

MALE OR FEMALE

Are you products and services gender specific?

STUDENTS OR WORKING STIFFS

Do you know if your audience consists mainly of students, working stiffs or the self-employed?

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

Where are your targeted customers coming from? Local, Nationwide or International?

HOBBYIST WEBSITES

Is your website going to satisfy the needs of hobbyists or a specific interest group?

POLITICAL VIEWS

Are you planning on making your site promote a specific political agenda like Liberal or Conservative policies, etc.?