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It was always an obvious gap (excuse the pun), but after many years in the wilderness, GAP has just launched its new e-Commerce website in the UK.

e-Commerce sites have long been a proven revenue-generator for retailers, so it was always a mystery why GAP (and its sister company Banana Republic) never ventured down this road.

This brave new dawn is a joint venture between the 2 siblings, allowing visitors to switch easily between www.gap.eu and www.bananarepublic.gap.eu, and as of today the home page contains a big splash to welcome its British customers.

What can an e-Commerce website do for GAP?

GAP is a famous high street brand, so the new site has little to do with creating and building a brand, but it will certainly trade heavily on its established reputation and customer base.  The site is evidently designed as a transactional website, and interestingly there are certain features missing that could otherwise help to engage its Web- and Social-savvy audience and blaze a trail with the latest technologies.  For example, no video, no blog, and certainly not the latest virtual reality technology that JC Penney have embraced for its "Virtual Dressing Room".

So, all in all, a long overdue arrival for the new GAP e-commerce website, an attractive and functional site, but certainly not something that will drag its competitors kicking and screaming into the next technological age...

What's the purpose of a business website?

Well, consider the advice of Stephen Covey in his best-selling book: 7 habits of Highly Effective People.  "Begin with the end in mind".  It's a great piece of advice in virtually any business setting, but certainly so when it comes to your business website.

But what does it mean?  Well, consider the following questions:

What is my website for?

You should have a very clear understanding of why you spent money on your website in the first place.  Is it a brochure site (i.e. little more than an electronic version of your company promotional literature)?  Is it a lead generation tool (i.e. do you want to collect email addresses and contact details)?  Or is it a direct sales tool (i.e. an e-commerce site or one that handles some other kind of monetary transaction through it).

Most websites fall into one of these categories, and knowing how your website needs to behave has a very direct impact on how it should be designed and how it should function.  It also dictates how you should measure the performance of your website, i.e. which are the most appropriate analytics metrics to track.

Who do I want visiting my website?

You should have a clear definition of the target audience for your business.  By understanding which demographic buys your products and services, you also want these same people visiting your website.  There is generally little value having all the wrong kinds of people passing through your website every day, as they'll either have little interest (they got there by mistake) or they have no need for your particular version of what you're selling.

It's possible using a well-defined Internet Marketing strategy to target the precise kind of people who buy your products and services.  The key to successful Internet Marketing is don't use the scatter gun approach.  Get your sniper rifle out and use it well.

What do I want them to do there?

Once you've managed to drive the traffic to your website, you need a clear understanding of what you want all those people to do once they're staring at your beautifully designed pages.

Good design is certainly part of the equation for a successful website ("is good web design important?"), but it has very little to do with the science of conversion architecture.  If you want your visitors to sign up now, then you must guide them down that pathway.  If you want them to download your latest whitepaper, then don't hide it away in the bottom corner - make it central to your website's layout and purpose.

So, back to the question: What is your website for?  Just remember - begin with the end in mind - and you won't go far wrong.

Feel free to call us at WSI Internet Marketing Preston on this or any other matter.

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The answer, of course, is yes, but this would be a very short post if we left it at that.

Your website exists for a number of reasons, although “looking good” and “being visually appealing” are perhaps not top of the list.

Whilst your website should definitely be well laid-out and easy to navigate, its primary purpose is to attract and guide your customers through your online business.  Certainly, design, aesthetics and colour come in to the equation, but these should never be the primary drivers on any web development project.

Consider these questions:

• How will I attract people to my website?
• How can I best appeal to my prospective customers?
• How will I convert these prospects into clients once they reach my website?

Designing a website that attracts and appeals to your ideal customer requires the successful combination of several factors.  You not only have to get the attention of your target audience, but you also have to grab the attention of the major search engines – or you will be missing out on a valuable source of traffic.

Here’s what you need – a website that’s:

• easy to use
• contains professionally-written content
• is search-engine friendly
• (and yes, when all that is taken care of, looks good)

What kind of image should my website portray?

This is driven by a number of things, but most of your visitors will already have a mental picture of your industry type, so be careful not to deviate too far from this.  For example, people expect a dental practice to be clean, unfussy and white, so they expect the same of their websites.  Likewise, businesses with strong brands and identities will expect to see this reflected in their websites.  So the message here is to give people what they expect to see.  Otherwise you’ll confuse them and risk driving them away.

Devoting your time and budget to producing an aesthetically pleasing and professional looking web presence is certainly money well spent, and experienced web designers will be able to bridge the gap between something that looks good and something that captivates and converts.

Find out what your customers like

Before your designer starts work, do your market research:

• Who are your customers?
• What do they like?
• What demographic do they belong to (age group, geographical location, sex)?
• What are their hobbies?

Each demographic type will have an influence on how successful your design will be in attracting and converting people.

In essence, get to know your customers and give them what they want.

Key Design Features

One of the best ways to make your website more successful is by making it distinct, appealing, relevant, and accessible.  Consider the following vital design elements:

• Branding – Your website should reflect your company's image.
• Colours – Select a colour scheme that will appeal to your target audience.
• Images – Choosing the right pictures can be a great way to tell a story without words.
• Content Layout – Prioritise your messages and layout your content accordingly.
• Navigation – Make your content easy to access, from anywhere on your site.
• Animations – Moving images can really help, but remember, less is sometimes more.

In conclusion, keep in mind that first impressions count, and that setting up a sleek, well-designed, website will help ensure your company is taken seriously.  Ultimately, your website should not only look impressive, it should also help you attract, appeal to and convert new customers.