Business Startup Community UK

5. Measuring Results

  1. Finding a web designer
  2. Working out what your business needs
  3. Deciding how your new website will work
  4. Getting your site designed and delivered on time
  5. Measuring the results from your web project
  6. Doing it yourself?

In this chapter we will outline:

  • Ways to determine the success of your website
  • Remembering to plan the next stage of your website’s evolution

Depending on your business strategy you may want to launch your website amidst great fanfare. For example you may be promoting a product or service to coincide with the launch of your site. Conversely, you may opt for a soft launch – dipping your toe in the water to see how the new site will be received.

Whatever the approach, there are a number of ways you can measure results. Some ways you could do this include:

  • Analysing your web statistics
    take an imaginative approach to this. More ‘hits’ won’t necessarily mean a better website. If people were having trouble finding something on your site, you’d actually expect the hits to go down when the more streamlined website was launched.
  • A reduction in telephone calls
    if you have a shop, for example, and people have tended to call you for technical help, then you would expect calls to decrease if the site is easier to navigate.
  • An online questionnaire
    hosting a carefully-planned survey on the site can help you measure customer satisfaction levels.
  • Benchmark testing
    this involves timing someone undertaking a task on the old site then comparing the time taken to complete the task on the new site.
  • More sales
    this sounds obvious, but improving the usability of the site will lead to increased sales and is a definite indicator of success.

Planning for the future

Your website project doesn’t end the date it goes live; it’s an evolutionary process. ‘It should never have a finish date because a website is a living, breathing thing,’ says Neil Davis of Precedent.

At least one person should look after and nurture the website; even if it’s not going to be their full-time job. Also, think about how new technologies and how they can benefit your website in Phase Two of your website development.

Likewise, the relationship with your web designer doesn’t end there. They will be providing maintenance and support and, in some cases, more strategic direction for future campaigns and projects.

Just keep nurturing the relationship and you should have many successful years together!