Many articles and books address web development topics, such as provocative website design ideas, SEO-friendly HTML layout assistance, and common website usability mistakes. However, most of this content targets web developers or individuals building websites themselves and primarily focuses on technical issues. This article addresses the critical non-technical issue—the essence and foundation of your website project. Without this foundation, even a technically flawless website will be ideal yet ultimately ineffective.
Defining the Primary Purpose of Your Website
Every action we take is driven by motive. This principle is fundamental not just in daily life but also in business. For instance, if a stranger offers you a car for $1, most people won’t immediately accept. Instead, they wonder, “Why sell a car for $1? What’s the catch?” Understanding the motive behind an action is often more important than the action itself because motive forms the foundation for decision-making.
You might think, “We need a website because everyone else has one.” However, this thought does not represent a clear motive or purpose. In business, every investment should answer the fundamental question: Why? The answer may vary depending on your goals.
Here are several rules for setting effective objectives:
- Clearly specify the expected results.
- Describe what will change once the objective is achieved.
- Ensure the objective is measurable and provides clear success criteria.
When considering your website’s purpose, vague responses such as “to inform visitors about the company” or “to provide product information” are insufficient. These responses don’t define measurable outcomes or clarify what should change once the objective is achieved. For example, if your objective is only to “provide information about products,” achieving it means your job is complete — no need for production, sales, or service. Imagine a visually stunning advertisement of a tropical beach resort without any contact information or hotel name. Many people might admire or even use the picture as wallpaper, but the actual objective of generating bookings wouldn’t be achieved. Thus, providing information alone is a method, not an objective.
Even in cases where providing information is central, such as media outlets, the true objective remains profit (through advertising, influencing public opinion, etc.). News agencies similarly focus on providing information to achieve broader business goals rather than simply sharing information as an end goal.
Therefore, when defining your website’s objectives, avoid clichés and clearly specify your company’s actual requirements. Identify what you truly aim to achieve and determine measurable criteria for evaluating effectiveness.
For instance, when purchasing equipment, you might state, “To replace outdated equipment, improve performance, and reduce repair costs because current equipment spends more time in repairs than operating.” This objective is logical, measurable, and analyzable compared to a vague goal like “everyone else has it.”
The purpose of this article is to help readers identify and formulate effective objectives for website development, attract potential customers, and ultimately increase revenue through effective and useful websites. If this article results in one or two new clients each month, it can be considered successful. To measure effectiveness, you might introduce a simple referral system where clients mentioning this article receive a small bonus.
So, what is the purpose of your website?