Note: This article was originally published in The Greeley Tribune, Sunday Business Section, February 27, 2005

Web Wise: Use your Web site's full power

By Lori Gama-White

A good Web site is a communication tool you can use to convey your message to your targeted audience. When you think about it, a Web site is like a control panel with "buttons" (a navigation menu) to guide the visitor, who is really the operator of the "control panel." The navigation menu has links that lead to important information you want people to know about. The navigation menu is one tool within your Web site that helps you communicate with your audience.

What other tools within your Web site could you use to get your message across to your audience? Are you taking full advantage of what the Web has to offer right now?

Before you choose any tools, first decide exactly what your goal is. It could be that you want to build your mailist of subscribers to your newsletter. Or, it could be to get the visitor to buy products you're selling from your Web site or to register for an event or seminar, or some other action. Once you've decided what you want your visitors to do, make it easy for them to do it. Sounds simple but many Web site owners don't know how to plot their information or how to draw attention to key points in their sites.

Consider using Multi-media to tap into your Web site's full strength to get your message across to your audience. If it will enhance the visitor's experience, Multi-media can market your message beyond the usual way of relying on your visitors simply reading your words. The impact of your words can be quite powerful if you design your information thoughtfully. However, if your targeted audience is below 30 years of age, you may capture their attention by adding other elements to your Web site.

An Internet milestone was recently achieved when a study found that 51% of U.S. Internet users have broadband connection, which means more people than ever before can access high bandwidth files associated with Multi-media. With broadband connection, these files download in seconds, rather than several minutes while on a modem connection. Even though 49% of U.S. Internet users still have a modem connection, this group is rapidly shrinking now that the cost of getting a broadband connection is often less than paying for that slower connection.

Here are just a few Multi-media components that you might want to consider using, no matter if you're an entrepreneur managing your own site or if you're managing a Web site for your company, these tools can help you communicate with your audience so that you'll get them to do what you want them to do.

• Audio - Voice, music or sound effects can be used to coax the visitor into the decision-making process. If you're a music artist or professional speaker, it's a no-brainer to include an audio snippet of you doing your thing.
• Video - Yahoo! recently added video as a navigation choice to search by and Google is returning images in some of its search results. Broadband's full potential is yet to be seen but its audience is beginning to get courted more and more in the Search Engines. If you include a video clip on your site, be sure to offer two file versions: a choice between downloading for a high-speed connection or for a slower modem connection. Also, submit your video page file to Yahoo so they can index it. Go to http://video.search.yahoo.com/ .
• Sound Narration - Not an audio clip but a guided voice tour of your Web site. Kind of like wearing the headphones in a museum tour. You could probably have a great experience without the sound narration if your information architecture is great but if you want to ensure your Web site visitor does not miss out on your key points, take her or him by the hand by providing sound narration. Be sure to hire a professional narrator and don't attempt this yourself unless you're highly experienced at voice-over. The tone of the voice adds or detracts from your Web site visitor's experience.
• Flash Animation - Be careful between using Flash purely as decoration or using it to help get your message across. Always include a link to download the latest version of Flash (it's free: go to www.macromedia.com) so your Web site visitors can access your Flash file. Also, Search Engine crawlers can't "read" flash files so be sure to include HTML with the ingredients that Search Engines can read.

Always consider your target audience as you explore Multi-media and begin to tap into your Web site's full power. Remember that your Web site is a communication tool and it should be designed to clearly convey your message and not obscure it.

Lori Gama-White owns DaGama Web Studio in Greeley, Colorado. Developing strategic, results-oriented Web sites since 1997, Lori Gama-White and her team of Web professionals are passionate about helping people get their businesses on to the Internet. For more information, questions or comments, call 970-378-7822 or e-mail .

© 2005 Lori Gama-White - All Rights Reserved - http://www.dagamawebstudio.com
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