Building A Successful Web Site

Create content people can trust and win repeat Web visitors.

by WILLIAM R. CARLSON
Flower PR, LLC

A recent study from the Garden Writers Association indicated that 34.3 percent of self-identified gardeners use the Internet for research of plant or product information. Younger gardeners are more prone to use the Internet for the same purpose (48.4 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds and 44.7 percent of gardeners aged 25 to 44.) You can just look at where today’s advertising dollars are going to see that the Internet has changed everything.

Marketing firms in many industries are trying to figure how to use the popular networking Web sites such as YouTube and MySpace to mount effective advertising campaigns. Web sites such as these can attract millions of visitors simply by word of mouth. In the old days, you needed big PR firms, media buyers or a publisher to attract that kind of attention. Today, the Internet can be used as a gateway to reach massive audiences, if you know how to build and maintain an effective Web site.

I view the Internet today much like the wide-open public access cable systems that emerged in the 1980s. Back then, cable television was required to have a public access channel where local people could create and air their own shows. Some shows were good and informative; others were not. Because the barriers to today’s World Wide Web are quite small, I see the same range of quality and talent on Web sites. Some are excellent at reaching and servicing a market while others are junk. Where does your Web site fall on that continuum?

Remember, what you display on your Web site reflects the professionalism of your business or operation. While good content is the single best tool to get regular visitors to your Web site, it’s not the only factor. It is also important that people trust what you have to say, to have credibility so the consumer can rely on your information with confidence.

Stanford University provides 10 guidelines for supporting Web credibility. I stumbled upon these principles as I put together and built www.flowerpossibilities.com over the last seven years. Stanford backs these statements up with data from three years of research, which included over 4,500 people.

Here are 10 important guidelines for building an excellent Web site:

1 Make it easy to verify the accuracy of your information.
People search the Web for information. Search engines tend to reward sites that are rich in content by listing those sites on page one of a search. Bloggers will also promote Web sites they find useful by providing links to those sites. Back up the information on your site with cited material from acknowledged resources. We’re fortunate in the floriculture industry to have great universities and associations that provide a wealth of knowledge. Utilize the information they provide and quote them as the source. Make sure you get permission to post any original material.

2 Show there is a real business or organization behind your site.
There are many “shell” sites out there. These shell sites aren’t long-standing businesses or organizations. They are Web sites created simply to sell advertising space. Often, shell sites post

There's not mistaking that Wagner's Greenhouses Inc.'s, Minneapolis, Minn., site belongs to a real greenhouse. A picture of the store entrance way greets the Web site visitor. They list the address and directions in the "store info" section. Better still, they make it clear they've been around a while "at the same location for over the last 100 years."

random news stories and/or irrelevant or even suspect information. They make researchers wary and create a sense of mistrust in the surfing community.

My wife, who is a teacher, once assigned her students a project to research and write a report on animals. One kid did a report on dragons; he truly believed that these fantastical creatures had once existed based on “true information” that he gathered from disreputable sites on the Web.

In order to build credibility for visitors to your Web site, be sure to post your business address (not just a P.O. Box) and other contact information. A big problem in the cut flower industry is “order gathering” Web sites. They take orders and refer them to a florist after they’ve taken a cut. Yet, I find many legitimate florist sites are indistinguishable from the order gatherers (i.e. you can’t find their street address on the site). You’re the legitimate businesses in this industry. Make sure your site makes that fact apparent!

3 Highlight the expertise in your organization.
Been in business 50 years? Are you a certified florist or grower? Do you write a column in the local paper or teach a class for Master Gardeners? Are you a member of any state or national

Greenleaf Wholesale Florist Inc.'s Web site is packed with expert advice, including industry icons Bobbi Ecker and J. Schwanke. Each expert has a brief background to establish credibility. Webmaster William Armellini keeps it updated and fresh.

association? These points lend credibility to what you’re saying. Put this information in the “About Us” or similar section on your site.

4 Show that there are honest and trustworthy people behind your site.
I like sites that list the staff, especially those that give a brief bio of key personnel. It tells me the company values its employees. Your people are your greatest resource and should be proudly acknowledged on your Web site.

5 Make it easy to contact you.
I was doing a link exchange program in which we offer to exchange links to other Web sites in the industry, and I can’t tell you how many sites made it difficult to locate the proper contact for the project. Have a “contact us” section with clickable addresses. This feature helps visitors to your site find the most relevant person to contact to solve a problem. Make distinctions such as general inquiries, Web inquiries, sales, administrative, etc. Your site may pique interest, but that interest could be quickly lost if visitors can’t follow up with you.

6 Design a site that projects professionalism.
I know it’s tempting to save money by having your neighbor’s kid who just had a Web design unit in school create your Web site. But remember, a Web site is your public presence on the Web. Keep your standards of professionalism high.
The look of your Web site should meet or exceed the standards that you would have for a paid newspaper ad – and the Web site has the potential to reach far more people! If you really want to use the neighbor kid’s talent, allow her to design a family Web page, not your business’s Web site. Make sure your business’ or organization’s Web site looks as professional as any other advertising that you produce.

7 Make sure your site is easy to navigate.

The California Cut Flower Commission has a good feel for who is going to its Web site. By breaking down content by "flower lovers" (consumers), "mass markets," "retail/wholesale" and "growers," the CCFC can group appropriate content and messages relevant to their intended audience.

After a while, even the most well thought-out site can get out of control. If you’re doing monthly updates and running new promotions (see #8) your site’s navigation will get chaotic as you continue to tack on new pictures, articles, promotions or links. Every year or two you should take a serious look at your site and strive to simplify the site map.
Ever been to an artistic site and wonder how the heck to find its content? Dazzling technology can confuse and turn off visitors if done to excess. Keep things simple and straightforward. If you use animation, make sure it is manageable and does not take too long to load, even for dial-up users. Give the visitor the option of skipping the animation and entering directly into the Web site.

8 Update your site’s content often.
At the very least, show that it’s been reviewed recently. When I do research and come across a site that was last updated in March 1999, I immediately go elsewhere. Information in our industry may not become outdated as quickly as it does in the tech field, but a site that was last reviewed even a year ago makes a Web surfer wonder just how relevant the information is.

Like clockwork since 2002, the Flower Promotion Organization has been updating its site on the first of the month with new flower recipes, podcasts and articles.

Until we started doing monthly updates, our site’s traffic was stagnant. Post your activities and promotions on a weekly or monthly basis. Your Web site should be reflective of all the activities your business undertakes. If you simply post a static billboard that hasn’t been changed in five years, I’d say you’re wasting money on hosting fees.

9 Use restraint with ads and other promotional content.
It never ceases to amaze me how many commercial sites will allow a search engine to buy advertising space on their Web pages. Do you know what they’re advertising in that space? Your competitors! Sure, you make some income by selling space on your Web page, but I think for most commercial sites, the cost of losing your customers to the competition far outweighs the short-term income that you receive by allowing these ads on your Web site. Pop-up ads are also annoying to most users (most newer browsers have a pop-up ad blocker anyway) and should be used with extreme discretion.

10 Avoid errors, no matter how small they seem.
Check, recheck and have a friend check the content of your site. Simple typos take away from your site’s credibility and reflect on your professionalism.

Check your links. If you run a reciprocal link program or have a “useful links” feature, check those links periodically. There are several free tools on the Web that automatically check to make sure that all the links that you have on your site are still “live” links.
If you keep these pointers in mind, your Web site will be a good, functional tool for your public image and marketing campaigns and a trustworthy source of information for your customers.

For more detailed information, see “Stanford Guidelines for Web Credibility,” by B.J. Fogg, a research summary from the Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab, Stanford University. The guidelines are also available online at www.webcredibility.org/guidelines. GG

About the author: William R. Carlson is the owner of Flower PR, LLC, a company specializing public relations and Web site development for the floriculture industry. Carlson was executive director of the Floral Trade Council for 12 years and the Managing Director of the Flower Promotion Organization for seven years.