Are you satisfied with your current web presence? Does the design match your corporate/company identity? Are you using your website for all that you could be using it for? Is it being effectively marketed to attract new customers via search engine optimization (SEO) and social networking? There is a formula for having a successful web presence. Design, structure, functionality, and promotion.

Our plan always includes Open Source software so that you are not tied down by licensing fee’s and you control your site, not the web developer.

Aultimut International offers comprehensive Internet consulting. Answer the following questions to help evaluate your website.

Design
It is important to establish a connection with your visitor immediately. People naturally have a subliminal and emotional response to what they see. This is your first opportunity to make an impression. A poor design reflects poorly on you. It says that you are not professional and people think twice about doing business with you. What does your site say about who you are with its graphic presentation?

• 1. Does the design match your corporate/company identity?
• 2. Does it elicit feelings of trust and competency?
• 3. Who is your target market?
• 4. Are you connecting with them?
• 5. Is information organized concisely and easily legible?
• 6. Do pages scroll endlessly? You want to avoid this.
• 7. Is text delineation consistent? Is continuity established as in a theme?

These elements are essential for a successful site.

Structure
The structure and architecture of a site refers to the way it is constructed. This effects the efficiency of site performance which relates to the quality of the user experience. Common problems are difficulty finding information, poorly optimized graphics, improperly coded tables, absence of styles sheets and not establishing development standards. This can lead to an inconsistent experience to the viewer and extensive labor updating.

• 1. Does the site load quickly?
• 2. Is the site easy to navigate? (is information easy to find?)
• 3. Is the site cross browser compatible? (Problems in Netscape)
• 4. Can you facilitate site wide changes in 1 or 2 steps or do you have to edit every page?
• 5. Are there inconsistent load errors?
• 6. Do you have broken links resulting in missing graphics and pages not found?
• 7. Functionality

Functionality refers to the purposes your site fulfills. This is not to say that you should be doing all that we list. For instance, ecommerce may not apply to your circumstances. We only wish to make you think about the what is possible. Each of these categories opens up into many possibilities. Let us help you decide what is right for you.

Company Presence
Marketing.
Employment Opportunities.
Public Relations.
Customer information gathering.
Interactive communication.
E-Commerce.
Company internal interactive communication.
Education.

Promotion and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Have you considered how your website will be found? Surprisingly, most people think that if they just put up a website they will automatically attract thousands of visitors. This is simply not true. Others think they can just use one of those free search engine submission services and they be listed and can now be found. Again this is just not true. There are millions of submissions to these services every month. There are specific things that must be present or not present in your site and your submission which will effect your ranking. (position in the listing) With knowledge of this criteria you will wind up on page 200 or maybe not at all. Of course if you’re on page 200 then you just as well not be there at all.

Statistically, if you are not listed within the first 3 pages of a search return, then you will not be found. In fact, the vast majority of searchers do not look beyond the first page. Aultimut International guarantees placement within the top 10 of the top 10 search engines and directories. So again, ask yourself how will you be found?

• 1. Can you be found by subject keywords on the first page of the top 10 search 2. engines?
• 2. Is your site listed with other websites?
• 3. Have you submitted press releases to the trades (print and online) and or the media if applicable?
• 4. Is your website listed in your standard print advertising?
• 5. Is your website listed in your product manuals?
• 6. Is your website listed on your products?
• 7. Are you taking advantage of Social Networks?
• 8. Are you tied down by your web developer?
• 9. Want to update your own site or do minor additions and deletions?