Give Your Site A Definition!

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06.05.03
Jamie Kiley Answers Site Design Questions

Have a web design question? Need some advice on how to make your site's design more effective? Jamie covers questions on how to design a professional website that will motivate your visitors to take action.

Send your questions to Jamie at jamiekiley@kianta.com.

By Jamie Kiley

On your own website, it's obvious to you what your company does and what your site is all about. However, the odds are high that your visitors won't automatically know that information the first time they come to your site.

It's up to you to sum things up for your visitors so they can immediately understand the basic focus of your company or organization, as well as the services you offer.

That's where a site definition comes in. A site definition is a concise, objective statement explaining what a site does. (If the term "site definition" is new to you, there's a reason--I coined it!) It's basically a one-sentence summary of the focus of the site.

Here are a few examples of good site definitions:

"Your source for in-depth computer hardware info" (http://www.hardwarecentral.com)

"Job search for technology professionals" (http://www.dice.com)

"Website evaluations from a scientific angle" (http://www.stinkagefactor.com)

Sometimes, you can get away with a super short definition. For example, the definition on our company's website (http://www.kianta.com) is just two words: "Web development."

The site definition should generally appear in the upper left corner of the page near the logo. It shouldn't be an obtrusive part of the design, but it should definitely be available for visitors to see.

Placing a site definition on your pages has two benefits. The first one is for yourself: A site definition helps you stay focused. When you force yourself to summarize your purpose in a single sentence, it's a 3-second, easy-to-remember plan for where your site needs to go and what you need to work toward in your own planning for your site. This can help prevent you from getting off track and winding up with a disorganized, unfocused site.

The second benefit is for your visitors. A site definition explains in a single phrase the basics of what visitors can find on your site. This is crucial, since many visitors will not have a clear understanding of what your company does. Your copy can help with this somewhat, but sales copy is generally unobjective, and it can take a while for the visitor to understand what it is you're selling. Although it is important to have sales-oriented copy, sometimes visitors just feel like saying, "But what do you DO?"

Here are three tips for writing an effective site definition:

1. Be ojective.

If you aren't objective in your definition, the definition will lose credibility. Avoid saying things like "We're #1!" A site definition is not the place to use persuasive, hyped-up language.

2. Be specific.

A definition isn't the same as a tagline. Taglines are usually catchy phrases that don't necessarily help visitors understand your services. For example, XO's tagline (http://www.xo.com) is "Not just talk." This phrase doesn't actually define anything, so it doesn't help visitors understand the company. The same is true with Nike's tagline, "Just do it."

3. Don't use jargon.

If you use terms that don't make sense to your visitors, the definition isn't going to help, because the definition itself will have to be defined. Try not to use words that aren't part of everyday English.

The exception would be if you know your target audience will understand some jargon. For example, if you have a website geared toward programmers, it's ok to use the term PHP. Although that term isn't an everyday word to most people, it is an everyday word to a programmer.

There are a few cases in which you probably wouldn't need a site definition. Occasionally, a site's main page makes it so obvious what the site sells that a definition isn't really necessary. However, this is rare, even for well-designed sites. It's difficult to explain what your site is all about as clearly and succinctly as you can with a definition.

A site definition would also not be necessary if your domain name is very descriptive. For example, UnixHoster.com or petproducts.com. These domains give a fairly good indication of the services provided on those sites.

Aside from these exceptions, most other sites would benefit from a clear, concise definition. What's yours?

About the Author:
There are 605.6 million people online. Can they find your business? Jamie Kiley creates powerful and engaging websites that make sure YOUR company gets noticed. Visit http://www.kianta.com for a free quote.

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