Before Making a Website: Know Your Market!

Why Is Knowing Your Market So Important?

All potential customers have unique abilitIes and needs that need to be met by your Website in order for these customers to feel comfortable enough to pay you money.

Knowing your market and catering to their Internet style will increase the likelyhood of a sale.

Market profiling

Web surfers most likely fall into one of the following categories. Before you have a Website built, it is always good to know these profiles. This knowledge will help you to gear your Website to meet the needs of most, if not all of your target audience.

1. The Simplifier – one who uses the Internet to make their life easier. They search with a specific purpose in mind. Your site needs to be uncluttered, have easy access, and your policies and customer service contact information easily available.
2. The Surfer – one who is a “stimuli junkie” and is more likely to jump from site to site and they love to download. Your site needs cutting edge design and effects in order to catch their eye. A note of caution, the surfer is less likely to spend money – don’t gear your whole site to this profile if you want to make money.
3. The New User – one who is new to the Internet scene, let alone computers. They like to find specific things and are more likely to be your loyal customers. Your site needs to not use unfamiliar things that the New User may be afraid to use. Your site needs to be kept simple and needs to reassure the New User every step of the way to the ultimate sale of your product or service.
4. The Bargain Hunter – one who is on a quest for deals on the Internet and the hunt is exciting to them. They are most likely to tell their friends about how they got the lowest price. Your site needs to show them price comparisons and why you have the best quality at the best price you can find.
5. The Traditional User – one who likes news and finance sites. They like to read content on a site. Your site needs to keep it’s content to the point and link to other sites for more information.
6. The Sports Fanatic – one who is like the Traditional User, but his interest is geared towards sports information. Your site needs to be fresh, colorful and offbeat.
7. The Information Seeker – one who wants to know everything about anything, especially the trivial. Your site needs to be the expert in the field in which you do business.
8. The Gamer – one who likes puzzles and interactive material. Your site needs to have widgets or user controllable features to appeal to this profile.

If you already have a Website and don’t know your market, it would be very helpful to use a customer profile request form on your Website in order to gather this priceless information.