Comments on: The 4 pillars of a successful business website http://www.valuablecontent.co.uk/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/ Content that works Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:24:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Sonja Jefferson http://www.valuablecontent.co.uk/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/comment-page-1/#comment-67 Sonja Jefferson Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:53:54 +0000 http://blog.sonjajefferson.co.uk/index.php/2009/05/05/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/#comment-67 Fantastic article from David Meerman Scott on his www.webinknow.com blog: - Great web sites mix art and science http://bit.ly/65xImo Fantastic article from David Meerman Scott on his http://www.webinknow.com blog:
- Great web sites mix art and science http://bit.ly/65xImo

]]> By: sonja http://www.valuablecontent.co.uk/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/comment-page-1/#comment-60 sonja Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:34:03 +0000 http://blog.sonjajefferson.co.uk/index.php/2009/05/05/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/#comment-60 Here's another very good example - this time from a marketing consultancy (they should be good!): http://www.clear-thought.co.uk/ Here’s another very good example – this time from a marketing consultancy (they should be good!): http://www.clear-thought.co.uk/

]]> By: Sonja Jefferson http://www.valuablecontent.co.uk/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/comment-page-1/#comment-59 Sonja Jefferson Tue, 12 May 2009 13:35:50 +0000 http://blog.sonjajefferson.co.uk/index.php/2009/05/05/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/#comment-59 Great example of small consultancy website that ticks most of the boxes above: www.hoarelealighting.com Great example of small consultancy website that ticks most of the boxes above: http://www.hoarelealighting.com

]]> By: Iain Claridge http://www.valuablecontent.co.uk/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/comment-page-1/#comment-58 Iain Claridge Thu, 07 May 2009 11:22:16 +0000 http://blog.sonjajefferson.co.uk/index.php/2009/05/05/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/#comment-58 Indeed.... And on that note, an interesting article here on how Amazon rely on brand credibility above good usability - http://econsultancy.com/blog/3777-amazon-relying-on-brand-credibility-instead-of-good-usability Indeed….

And on that note, an interesting article here on how Amazon rely on brand credibility above good usability – http://econsultancy.com/blog/3777-amazon-relying-on-brand-credibility-instead-of-good-usability

]]> By: Sonja Jefferson http://www.valuablecontent.co.uk/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/comment-page-1/#comment-57 Sonja Jefferson Thu, 07 May 2009 10:59:50 +0000 http://blog.sonjajefferson.co.uk/index.php/2009/05/05/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/#comment-57 I'd have to agree Iain - attention to typography and layout is badly needed for Jakob Nielsen's site. From a marketing point of view though - brilliant! Look how much publicity he has got from not doing any of this! Wouldn't work for the rest of us though. I’d have to agree Iain – attention to typography and layout is badly needed for Jakob Nielsen’s site.

From a marketing point of view though – brilliant! Look how much publicity he has got from not doing any of this!

Wouldn’t work for the rest of us though.

]]> By: Iain Claridge http://www.valuablecontent.co.uk/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/comment-page-1/#comment-56 Iain Claridge Thu, 07 May 2009 10:45:40 +0000 http://blog.sonjajefferson.co.uk/index.php/2009/05/05/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/#comment-56 I guess in the context of your article, differentiation is acceptable . You are forgiven..! ;-) And yes - 3 Pillars sounds rubbish..! Interesting to read Jakob's defence of his own site presentation. I agree with his reasons for the minimal use of graphics but strongly disagree with his lack of attention to typography and layout. Preparation of a decent stylesheet has negligible cost in terms of file download yet provides huge benefits in terms of information delivery and hence, usability. I guess in the context of your article, differentiation is acceptable . You are forgiven..! ;-) And yes – 3 Pillars sounds rubbish..!

Interesting to read Jakob’s defence of his own site presentation. I agree with his reasons for the minimal use of graphics but strongly disagree with his lack of attention to typography and layout. Preparation of a decent stylesheet has negligible cost in terms of file download yet provides huge benefits in terms of information delivery and hence, usability.

]]> By: Sonja Jefferson http://www.valuablecontent.co.uk/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/comment-page-1/#comment-55 Sonja Jefferson Thu, 07 May 2009 10:22:50 +0000 http://blog.sonjajefferson.co.uk/index.php/2009/05/05/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/#comment-55 Hi Iain, Thanks for that. I can see what you are saying about the blurring between usability and presentation. Both are integral to the job of the good web designers, but I've found that some less skilled designers focus on presentation and not on usability, so wanted to split them up. Anyway - 3 pillars wouldn't sound so good! Re: Jakob Nielson - I understand he is the usability guru that designers love to hate. Here's an article on why his site is as it is: http://www.useit.com/about/nographics.html Hi Iain,

Thanks for that. I can see what you are saying about the blurring between usability and presentation. Both are integral to the job of the good web designers, but I’ve found that some less skilled designers focus on presentation and not on usability, so wanted to split them up. Anyway – 3 pillars wouldn’t sound so good!

Re: Jakob Nielson – I understand he is the usability guru that designers love to hate. Here’s an article on why his site is as it is: http://www.useit.com/about/nographics.html

]]> By: Iain Claridge http://www.valuablecontent.co.uk/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/comment-page-1/#comment-54 Iain Claridge Wed, 06 May 2009 21:35:41 +0000 http://blog.sonjajefferson.co.uk/index.php/2009/05/05/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/#comment-54 Nice article Sonja with some good points raised. From my perspective, working as a digital creative in the field of online user experience, my one reservation would be the distinction made between usability and presentation, as I feel the two are inextricably linked. It's interesting that you quote Jakob Nielson as I have always thought his own site (http://www.useit.com) suffers in terms of usability due to it's lack of attention to typography and inconsistent layout. Nice article Sonja with some good points raised.

From my perspective, working as a digital creative in the field of online user experience, my one reservation would be the distinction made between usability and presentation, as I feel the two are inextricably linked.

It’s interesting that you quote Jakob Nielson as I have always thought his own site (http://www.useit.com) suffers in terms of usability due to it’s lack of attention to typography and inconsistent layout.

]]> By: Sonja Jefferson http://www.valuablecontent.co.uk/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/comment-page-1/#comment-53 Sonja Jefferson Wed, 06 May 2009 20:39:28 +0000 http://blog.sonjajefferson.co.uk/index.php/2009/05/05/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/#comment-53 I totally agree about the value of involving your customers and using their feedback- see this article: 'Ask your customers' http://tinyurl.com/dguh9v. I totally agree about the value of involving your customers and using their feedback- see this article: ‘Ask your customers’ http://tinyurl.com/dguh9v.

]]> By: Nick Walrond http://www.valuablecontent.co.uk/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/comment-page-1/#comment-52 Nick Walrond Wed, 06 May 2009 16:03:22 +0000 http://blog.sonjajefferson.co.uk/index.php/2009/05/05/the-4-pillars-of-a-successful-business-website/#comment-52 Excellent article Sonja, your first two points are exceptionally relevant and probably the hardest bit of soul searching a business will ever do in order to get it right. In some ways it is better to start by asking for testimonials and comment from your customers. Surely your credibility and value as a business is borne out by what people say about you. We are going through a web development programme on our site and what our customers are happy to say about us (on record) is leading the way in which we are trying to capture the interest of visitors to the site. Time will tell how successful this is and I am sure we won't get everything right, but with google analytics we can now track that anyway and adjust accordingly. Excellent article Sonja, your first two points are exceptionally relevant and probably the hardest bit of soul searching a business will ever do in order to get it right. In some ways it is better to start by asking for testimonials and comment from your customers. Surely your credibility and value as a business is borne out by what people say about you. We are going through a web development programme on our site and what our customers are happy to say about us (on record) is leading the way in which we are trying to capture the interest of visitors to the site.
Time will tell how successful this is and I am sure we won’t get everything right, but with google analytics we can now track that anyway and adjust accordingly.

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