I’ve recently started working for a small company that sells software and on-line services to lawyers, and I want to redesign our website.
I’m looking for examples of company websites that do a good job marketing their company’s products.
I find that many websites actually do a pretty (surprisingly) bad job at this. Lots of flash animations (that don’t work for the vast number of folks who don’t have broadband), lots of discussions about “providing innovative solutions in today’s dynamic business environment where the only constant is change” but not a lot of sites that do a good job explaining (1) just what the hell their product or service is (2) why the problem it solves is important, (3) how to buy it if you agree that the product or service solves an important problem.
Anyway, if you know of sites that do explain their products and services well, I’d really like to look at them, and I’d appreciate your recommendations.
And more generally, I’d be pleased to hear anyone’s thoughts on how to (or how not to) market effectively using a website.
Flash is one of those things everyone hates, I think, except some Web designers and the executive types who go “No, we shouldn’t have just a logo. It should be spinning. AND FLASHING!”
I say cut the corporate BS. Explain what you actually do (“We sell software and online services for lawyers or those in the legal profession”). Have a big CONTACT US or something similar on the front page. A lot of people don’t want to browse for a phone number or contact form. They just want to email you and go from there.
A successful website may be hard to find as only the owning company would really know how well their website works towards driving revenue.
The best that I can do is offer my own corporate website (I’m the Web Designer) as an example of a possible good website (www.moderngroup.com). The only testimonial I can give is that numerous corporate execs in our industry (Material Handling, Construction Equipment) have commented on how easy it is to navigate and the clarity of the information that is provided.
Frank #2, I think your website is really good. I particularly like the “who we are,” and “what we do” sections on your home page.
GMRyujin, I completely agree that we need to have the contact us info right up front. It amazes me that so many companies bury this info. (The book Internet Marketing for Dummies has a whole discussion about how (1) so many companies seem to want to hide this info, and (2) how counterproductive that is.)
Do you guys (or anyone else) have any opinions on using “Answers to Frequently Asked Questions” as marketing materials. As I was drafting marketing materials for our products, a FAQ felt like the most natural way to describe it. I definitely want to put one on our site, but what about distributing it as a standalone marketing piece?
I just wanted to throw in my 2 cents on the whole Flash thing.
Flash can be amazing when done right. I think when people say things like “everyone hates flash” they are picturing the super-long intro on a site built by a hack. When flash is used as a navagation tool, or as a way to provide smooth and tasteful transitions betweeen pages, it can be a great thing.
Also, take a look at what ESPN.com has done with flash on their LiveMotion thing (only for broadband). I basically have parts of SportCenter on my PC, constantly updated, with way better video quality than I get most other places.
Even with people on dial-up, some flash stuff has a smaller file size than a lot of .jpgs or java apps.
I’ll be the first to agree that most Flash intros are pointless and should go away, but I just don’t get how people are still saying all flash sucks. When used in the right situations, it makes sites way more interesting than just HTML and Java
Actually, I’m picturing the totally inappropriate useage of Flash. Like the real estate agency with the 5 minute flash intro featuring a pulsing techno soundtrack and badly pixelated pictures of houses flying at you. Call me old school, but I hate Flash navigation. Give me a simple text or graphical navbar any day. I think Salon.com has the perfect layout.
Ask yourself who will be using your site, and what will be useful to them. Will they have heard about you somewhere and want to get to ‘buy’ asap, or be asking ‘Who are these guys?’ Are they computer literate? Will they be impressed by wizzy graphics or a cool design? Do you even know?