WTF Do I Put On My Site?

Info Architecting

& Site Strategy

•Yes, slides will be online. In 10 minutes. I promise. Yes, I’m serious. And mostly honest. Really. Slideshare.net/hzp

•I really do try not to curse

•No, I really haven’t a clue why camps continue to allow me to speak

•Current dev track: how to make plugins

•Of course its mine. Why would anyone do this to their hair on purpose?

How Websites are Born

Developers think like this:

Designers thinkLike this:

EveryoneIs SellingSomething

Step 1

What do you do?

What do you do?

To (target market, location), (name of org) provides (services) by (unique methods) for (results).

What do you do?

“ACAP trains organizations, teaches students and treats individuals seeking emotional health in Northern New Jersey through non

traditional methods resulting in practical tools and opportunities.

Step 2

Define your visitors

Mobile users

Mobile users

Step 3

Define “success points” on your site

Mobile usersHelp beacon

Step 4

Create a “Path to Buy”

The Four Questions

• Why do I want crap?

• Why do I want *your* crap?

• What’s the process to get your crap?

• Give me crap

Mobile usersHelp beacon

Step 5

Revel in Sitemap. Go get ice cream.

Actual Step 5

Find the overlaps

Step 6

Simplify the wireframe.

• What’s important• What’s expected

Who Needs Superheroes? Why Superman Services Contact

For citizens Help Services Contact FormFor Gov’t Agencies Corporate Accounts Appt Sched.For Schools Superman Foundation Press

Blog

Union Screw You Page

Homepage

Marketing message, calloutsReturn clients, govt agencies, fellow superheros, career day organizers, friends & family, competitors

Determine

• What’s copy• What’s graphic• What functions can I use a plugin for?• What should I relegate to sidebar

(primary vs secondary)

What’s Missing

• About me pages• Testimonials• Cute Puppies• Vague, unhelpful titles• Picture/video pages• Advertising• Roadblocks

What *is* There

• Fewer pages• Less copy• Multiple Entry Points• Icons, Graphics, visualizations• Clear Branding• Calls to Action • (what does the user do next?)

Use Your Tools

• Sidebars• Footers• Title/Descriptions• Author Display• Dynamic Content Gallery• Gravity Forms• Quotations Plugin

Step 7

NOW, enter the design processMarry design to mission statement

Consider

• What is the brand imparting? (not what you like, even if you are the brand)

• Restaurants• Preschools• Clothing

Testing is Never Done

testtesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttesttest

test testtesttesttesttesttesttest

& Don’t ask dumbass questions

Examples of Dumbass Questions

• What do you think of this? • Do you like this?• Does this feel ______ to you?• Does this seem professional?

Un – Dumbass, Qualitative, Objective Questions

• What does this person do? • What are some words that come to

mind when you see this?• What should you do first?• What is the first thing you notice?

Measure, then test again

Google Analytics is *AWESOME*

Mobile usersHelp beacon

Who Needs Superheroes? Why Superman Services Contact

For citizens Help Services Contact FormFor Gov’t Agencies Corporate Accounts Appt Sched.For Schools Superman Foundation Press

Blog

Union Screw You Page

Homepage

Marketing message, calloutsReturn clients, govt agencies, fellow superheros, career day organizers, friends & family, competitors

On behalf of myself and #clementinethedoberman, we thank

you and remind you to be a good canine citizen

@amandablum amanda@howlingzoe.com slideshare.net/hzp