Web sites…friend or foe? October 25, 2008

There are so many avenues of new media that companies can use to communicate with, or market to, consumers. It is my opinion that a Web site is the most useful tool a company can have to provide the public with information. After doing some reading on the subject, my opinion hasn’t changed one bit.

 

Right now, I’m trying to think back 15 years and I am unable to remember how people searched for information. I was in grade school at the time, so I’m not the type of consumer I am now, but I really can’t remember where people went first for information about a company. The phone book? Did people actually use the phone to communicate?

 

A Web site is something that, when done correctly, can provide information, answer questions, engage, excite, entertain…need I go on? The Web is typically the first place people look for information, so it’s no wonder that a Web site is such an important thing for a company to have.

 

What do I mean by “done correctly?” I mean that a Web site should:

• possess a good design – no one likes to see things in disarray. The visual elements selected should enhance, not inhibit, your message.
• include an intuitive navigation system – it’s pointless to spend hours working on the perfect message if site visitors can’t find it.
• not have too many “bells and whistles” – have you ever been to a site whose designers were so concerned with adding every single type add-on that it ended up being distracting?
• have a clear message – “say what you need to say,” as John Mayer puts it. A message that runs on and on will cause people to lose interest–one that doesn’t provide enough will only frustrate.

There’s much more I could get into here, but you get the point. While I’m on the subject though, check out this list of examples of what NOT to do on your Web site:

• Chipotle.com – I just don’t know. Great food, I will give them that!
• Teacherxpress.com – yikes!
• IKEA Design Stories - bouncing heads creep me out, man. Like the store, though!
• 1001pens.com - I’ve never disliked pens more than I do right now.

I will admit that although Web sites can further a company’s message; there are plenty of sites out there that do the complete opposite. But hey, how could we pick out the good ones if there weren’t some bad ones?

 

So, with all of this in mind, check out MayoClinic.com. The site is designed to allay patient concerns and provide them with information they may not receive in a 20-minute doctor visit. This is my example of a Web site that I think encompasses great design and definitely completes the objective of providing patients with the information they are seeking.

 

This health information resource offers extensive information related to diseases, conditions, treatments, drugs, etc. It is clearly laid out and offers various ways to perform searches. It also incorporates some of the other forms of new media, such as video, blogs, podcasts, and RSS feeds to promote interactivity. In my opinion, these forms of new media could not provide as much information as a Web site. However, they do add to the overall effectiveness of the Web site. The add-ons improve the site rather than distract.

 

For me, the Web site is all-encompassing. BUT, I’m going to be doing a lot more reading and learning on the subject of new media, so perhaps my opinion will change.

 

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Currently listening to: “The Lovers are Losing” by Keane (Perfect Symmetry, 2008)

A few things about me… October 23, 2008

Hi everyone!

 

My name is Adrianne and I live in Romeoville, Illinois (a bit southwest of beautiful Chicago).

 

I have been employed with a nonprofit company for almost three years. I am truly lucky to be able to say that I enjoy my job and the people I interact with (most of ‘em, anyway).

 

Some of my job responsibilities include writing public service announcements, managing a radio interview program, planning committee meetings, assisting our media relations team, and working to facilitate our company’s annual meeting. However, my main responsibility is overseeing our public education Web site (www.radiologyinfo.org), including development of content, proofreading/editing, and promotion. This Web site, although non-revenue generating, is the reason I have a job!

 

Prior to my current position, I spent about a year and a half floundering and trying my best to essentially find a job like the one I have now. Before that, I was working on a bachelor’s degree in business communication from Trinity Christian College. On a personal note, I would have to say the best thing about my college experience was the opportunity to play softball. My entire childhood was spent playing some sort of sport and I feel fortunate to have been able to play as long as I did.

 

I love to read and write-I’m a nerd in that sense. I like turning ordinary happenings into stories (and often times regaling my best friend with the smallest of instances in dramatic fashion). I love to laugh. I love to travel. I’ve been a few places, but not nearly as many as I’d like to go. I’m a sucker for quirky and fun television shows and I am mad about music. I enjoy shopping-especially for shoes and makeup. Dislikes: incompetence, hot dogs.

 

I am pursuing a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications through West Virginia University. I’m currently taking my fourth and fifth courses in the program. All of my fingers are crossed in hope that I will graduate in early 2010!

 

I’ve created this blog so that I can tell you my thoughts about how various forms of emerging media are impacting IMC, the world and my life.

 

Enjoy!!

 

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Currently listening to: “Worn Me Down” by Rachael Yamagata (Happenstance, 2004)