When Building Your Web Site, Be Your Own Customer

Think back to the last time you updated your organization’s web site. Chances are the last update you made reflected what was on your mind. Perhaps, it was your vision for your business. Maybe, it was your perspective on a certain product, or even your solution to a problem. That’s a whole lot of you and not a lot of your customer. That’s a big mistake to make. For when it comes to your web site, your customer is king.

When you create your web site for the first time, you must do more than simply picture your audience – you must actually be your audience. That means behaving and thinking like a customer. Failure to “get into your customer’s shoes” means you won’t know which content is most meaningful or important to your customers. It also means you will fall behind the curve – your customers won’t stay on your web site for long if the site’s content does not reflect their demands and interests.

Although it can seem like a daunting task, filling your customer’s shoes is not difficult. Most of the time the answer is right in front of you. Your customers are willing to share more information about their wants, needs, and interests than you think. All you have to do is ask.

Social media is the best place to hold this informal, getting-to-know-each-other conversation. Ask your audience what they like most about your business, what they want to see in the near future, and what is most important to them. They may tell you that they like your fast and friendly customer service, or want the most cost-effective solutions to the problems they face. Either way – you now have customer information with which you can model your web site’s content strategy around. It’s a win-win for you and your customers.