Does Your Website Have a Job Description?

Every employee needs a job description. Job descriptions and requirements are how you determine who to hire and how employees are performing. Aren't websites a bit like employees? No matter how good your website looks, ranks in search results, responds to mobile devices, or presents pithy content, IF you don’t have a clear and defined purpose for it, you might be failing… miserably.

Don’t get me wrong, SEO is important. Optimized content and a well-designed user interface are critical to your website’s success. However, starting to develop or update a website without a clear “job” description will make it impossible to evaluate your success—or lack thereof.

Begin by answering these questions:

• What is the role of my website within my overall marketing plan and business growth strategy?
• Are there products or services we want our website to market more aggressively than others?
• What, exactly, are the technical capabilities (functionality) that I need from my website?
• What “salary” are we dedicating to the website to ensure performance?
• Am I willing to devote resources (time, money, and people) to improve my website over time?
• Who will manage, supervise, and evaluate the website’s performance?
• What are the measurement points for evaluating my website’s performance?
• How is my website performing now, and how will I know if it has gotten better?

Thinking of your website as an employee will ensure that you are thinking more strategically. Thinking more strategically will help as you make decisions about web search optimization, design, and structural elements. Make sure you are “hiring” the right website by planning before building.