The first step to ensure success with online marketing, social media, and search engine optimization is to make sure you’re website is primed for communication flow.  A good website consists of three key elements: Web Design, Web Development and Website Usability.

Your website should reflect your brand.  Your online representation is very important since this is the first (and sometimes only) time a potential client will come in contact with your company.  In a sense, your website is the window into your company for hundreds or thousands of people online every month.

Be sure your website is updated and a good representation of your company at all times.  Your competition is only a click away.

Design is the visual layout while development has to do with the coding that goes into making your design come to life online.  Most independent web designer/developers are better at one than the other.  This may be a good case for working with a small company rather than an individual.  With that said, a good web designer will keep the rules of development in mind and vice versa.

Though websites have become easier to build over the years, the options for website development have never been greater.  I remember when learning to build websites was as easy as learning HTML.  Today, it’s a hybrid of different mark-up languages and tools including HTML, PHP, CSS, WordPress, Dreamweaver, Flash and more.  Some of the coolest websites you’ll find have been built with Flash or Fireworks while those that focus on better search rank are built in WordPress.  The best Development solution for each client will depend upon the client’s goal, brand and the way the designer/developer interprets that.

The secret to a productive website is the implementation of Web Usability or Human Factors into your site strategy.  The average website visitor has  a short attention span and a low tolerance for disorganization and difficulty.  The way your information is organized and displayed on your website will help users navigate your website easily and will ultimately help you to achieve your website goals.

A quick test for web usability is to have a few friends or family members try out your new site.  Give them an objective (sign up for a membership or put a specific product into your online shopping cart), and see how easily they can get from point A to B.  Watch them.  Take note of where their mouse goes first (this is where they think your information should usually be located). If they hesitate, find out why.  When you find a consistent pattern in your usability testing, it may be a good idea to move a link or rename one of your pages to something more common.  Understand that it’s not your job to convince your usability tester why your wording is better.  If they have issues, other website visitors probably will too.

JSN always takes Web Usability into account when we’re designing and developing client websites.  We do our own usability testing to ensure the finished design is as productive as it is beautiful.