The first paragraph of an article is a brief summary of the content, providing an overview of the topic. In this case, the article explores the importance of defining a primary goal and audience before launching a website. It emphasizes the need for thorough research and planning, and warns against the common pitfall of trying to cater to everyone. The article also provides practical tips on how to define a specific, singular goal and audience, and how this can guide the design and content of your website.
In the world of business, defining a primary goal and audience is a crucial step that goes hand in hand with deciding what product or service to market. This principle holds true in the digital realm as well. However, with the surge of entrepreneurs venturing online, an intriguing trend has emerged. Many start by choosing a product or service, creating a website, and then figuring out who their target audience is.
While the internet has leveled the playing field between large corporations and home-based entrepreneurs, the importance of sound business practices remains. Defining your primary goal and audience before writing a single line of code, choosing a domain name, or creating a single graphic is essential. This approach, which I refer to as "defining before designing," ensures that every aspect of your website design is guided by your primary goal and audience.
The reason for emphasizing this in a series of articles about web design is simple. If you haven't done your homework in defining your primary goal and audience, your online venture will lack direction and purpose. It will be like a ship without an engine or sails, aimlessly drifting in the ocean.
A Primary Goal is Singular: Your primary goal should be singular and specific. It's your guiding light, the cornerstone of your design. Without it, your site lacks a solid foundation. While it's tempting to adopt a "one-stop" approach and try to sell everything to everyone, you'll be more successful if you focus on selling one thing well to a specific group of people.
A Primary Goal is Specific: A vague goal like "Selling books on the Internet" doesn't provide much guidance for your website design. A more specific goal, such as "Selling fly-fishing books using real-time processing on the Internet," gives you a clearer direction.
A Primary Goal is Inseparable from the Primary Audience: Your primary goal and audience are two sides of the same coin. For example, "Selling fly-fishing books to fishermen using real-time processing on the Internet" is a goal that clearly defines both the product and the audience.
The more specific you can be, the better. For instance, a good final definition for the primary goal and audience for our hypothetical fly-fishing book salesman might be: "To sell fly-fishing books authored by Randall Kaufmann to fly-fishing hobbyists who have subscribed to at least one fly-fishing magazine within the past year. These books will be sold solely over the Internet using real-time processing and an automated fulfillment center."
This level of specificity will guide your website design. Instead of facing a blank canvas, you'll have a clear course of action. From the definition above, it's clear that the website will need a bio for Randall Kaufmann, a collage of major fly-fishing magazines, keyword-rich content, and a graphical layout that captures the beauty and tranquility of a running river.
In conclusion, defining a primary goal and audience sets the tone for your entire website design. Give your website design and your business the preparation it demands, and it will demand much less from you in the future.
