Shared Experience

Give Your Web Site a Winning Personality

Not so long ago, when the World Wide Web was still novel, any Web site was impressive and thereby successful.

Today the Web is a competitive place. If you want your Web site to be respected and prosperous, you’d better have a clear concept behind the information and design you present to the world.

A Web site with a well-conceived concept satisfies its visitors, keeps them around, and brings them back. Web users develop loyalties to those sites which please them.

A Web site conveys an image—a concept—whether it intends to or not. On the Web there is no opportunity for correcting perceptions. By having a well thought-out concept you make the vital first impression that reinforces the goals you have for your site.

Web users make an investment in the Web site experience. As the Web spreads, the typical user profile is changing: newer, more skeptical users are coming on-line and these users are even more demanding and critical of their experience. Users want a good return on their investment.

Defining and developing a concept is the trick to creating a Web site that will succeed.

According to Larry Asher, the fundamentals of a Web site concept include brand, position, and personality. Asher is Director of School of Visual Concepts (SVC) and a principal of the advertising agency Worker Bees. He generously shared his knowledge at a recent Writergrrls meeting.

Brand is the term used to denote that which makes your product distinct. It is more than a name; it is what differentiates your product or service from other similar things. That which is well-branded "makes more money." Crest, The Gap, Starbucks—all are well-branded, and consumers pay more for products from these brands than they do for products from Colgate, Wal-Mart, or Folgers.

The position of your product is defined by what you do, not just what you claim to do, and is best summed up in one descriptive word. For example, FedEx’s position can be stated as "Overnight," and Nordstrom is known for "Service."

A Web site projects a personality, just as you do. Conveying personality will attract and hold the viewers’ attention. Your site’s personality should relate to your ideal users, inviting them in, getting them to like you. And on the Web, where our interactions are not face-to-face, intentionally projecting a personality will help you convey the messages you want your Web site to convey. A personality will also add a human quality, helping to overcome the biases and fears many Web users have about technology.

So how do you tie these things together and move along? Start with a creative brief, which Larry Asher has shared, in both a blank form, and a completed example. When your creative brief is completed you ought to be able to summarize your Web site’s essence in about one sentence, something akin to a storyline. Then you will have a clear picture to translate into a great concept.

Sometimes you will find a metaphor is the best way to convey your concept. A metaphor takes unknown territory and gives the Web visitor a sense of familiarity and the ability to navigate. It can also convey personality and credibility. One metaphor frequently seen on the web is a journey. A game is another.

Test your concept, as it will manifest on your Web site. To succeed it should:

• be involving
• be simple to navigate
• provide the information your users want
• be compatible with your users’ computer hardware and software
• reflect your brand personality
• reinforce your position

Energy devoted to establishing your Web site’s concept is well invested. Put your best foot forward, from the outset, to secure your position in the competitive World (Wide Web), and cultivate those ever-more savvy and critical users.

Leila Anasazi runs with scissors and thinks safety is for four-year olds. Current favorite tools include a Dremel with diamond bit, Derwent watercolor pencils, and any car with a drop-top.
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