Don’t kick sand in the face of web content – part 2: tasks

As I said in don’t kick sand part one, web content is better communication. This needs to be good because the web doesn’t forgive bad communication.

Last time I talked about ditching your newsletter. This time: concentrating on the key tasks to reduce your effort (and thus money) and increase your customer satisfaction.

Secret: the web is for simple tasks

These are the most important things most people want to do on your website most of the time. For everything else – use the phone.

What things do most people want to do on your website?

Have you ever asked? No – why not?

May be you don’t know how.

Try this

Write down all the things you think people would want to do on your website. Limit it to the top 15.

Ask a few customers and friends which 5 of these things are the most important to them. Take notes.

(Don’t ask them what they would like to see on your site. Why? You might not be able to provide it and it might not really be what they actually do on your site.)

Now work out your key tasks.

Make it easy for visitors to complete these things on your website

Doesn’t matter how you do it. Small changes can make a big difference:

  • rewrite content so the word help visitors complete tasks
  • move content around so people’s selections are more prominent
  • retest if you’re not sure what people are getting at

Focusing on key tasks will save you time – not as much content to maintain – and increase satisfaction for your visitors. It shows that you really want to make business with you easy.

Next time

You need people who know web content because they also know new media – you need to be good at new media.