Know-How Exchange : Website Critique

Solid feedback as always Randall! Dale, my feedback as far as your site goes:

1. Have a login for your existing customers on the front page. I had to click on company, then what's new to get to the e-bill stuff. Puts taking care of existing customers the same level of importance as getting new customers.

2. Navigation: you have some issues here. It appears that the site has grown under the old structure (like putting e-bill under "company", and then "what's new", when it really should be on the front page, or with a existing customer sign-in feature), so needs to be reassessed. At first glance it appears that the site does have a good site map; I would start with the site map breakdown to redesign your site structure and front page and the categories that you will put there. With the spaghetti approach (every part touching every other part) it is easy to get confused and it doesn't feel like there are any anchor points.

3. Use of PDFs ... I'm a firm believer that the PDF should be a supplement to information instead of the main source of it in most cases. If it is not part of the changes, you should really consider making the FAQs html or dynamically driven, searchable web pages, instead of a PDF. Downloading a PDF is sometimes a real pain. And I noticed that some product/services FAQs are PDF and some are web pages. ... is there a reason for that? It would be good to integrate all the FAQs into one. If you have a good beginning FAQ page, it would provide easy access to all the FAQs sections ...

4. List prices somewhere more easily accessible.

5. Use specialized "created just for you" graphics for your redesign. The clip art - MS Word stock photography look diminishes what your site could be. You have a great logo, try to incorporate that feel into your new design. Movement. motion. Connection.

6. In your copy writing adjustments, consider changing all your "click here" links to the actual text of the item being the link. Also, consider mentioning your services on the front page. I understood your site more after I went to the services link. Check your press release links to make sure the way you link is consistent. ...

7. Careers should probably be a subsection under company. Unless you are actively recruiting as part of your strategic plan for business growth, even then, should it carry as much weight as your products and services?

8. Last but not least. ... be sure to check your site in Netscape and/or Firefox. The check boxes on your forms, and some of the radio buttons don't line up with their accompanying items. Just some simple nuts and bolts adjustments to fix those things.

Anyway, hope this helps. I think a redesign is a good idea. Your site is not "bad" as is, but I think with a few adjustments could really be a great site. I think you have a great product. Have fun with the politics of it all. :)

Jennifer
XPRT Creative

You also need to be aware of writing the copy to match what businesses are looking for. That way search engines will list your site for pertinent web searches. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is as important as putting in a call to action. If you're not in the web results, there may not be that many people to act.

"Language services" may not be top on the list. Words like translating, translation, and phrases like "document translation" should be included on the main page. You do list interpreter many times, but working for a company that sells internationally, we need marketing collateral translation and I would do a search for "document translation" to find that service. Our International sales managers speak a large number of languages and rarely need an interpreter.

There are a number of companies like wordtracker.com that can help you find the exact phrases and words to add to your copy.