Sophisticated Site Requirements This template will help you define your requirements for a site that has several levels of navigation, a lot of pages, content to support marketing programs, and/or functionality that a simple site would not need. Use it as an internal document, or cut the instructions when you’re done and give it to potential vendors for bid.
TIPS
First, here are some tips for developing a B2B site: CONTENT AND ORGANIZATION (check those you want to incorporate) Make your home page count. Its content is the most important for search engines, so don’t waste an opportunity by using heavy graphics. Think of your site as a presentation and drive the user through it. You’re trying to give them the information in a logical order, build value and then close. For example, at the end of the copy on page 2, include a link to page 3; encourage them to view pages in order instead of jumping around. Create entire sections that speak to particular groups of users. When you target your audience more narrowly, you can speak more directly to their needs. Think about your users and why they come to the site. What information do they need? Make it valuable and easy to find. Make sure there’s a “contact us” link on every page. Provide your full mailing address, email and phone – it’s more trustworthy than just putting up an email address. DESIGN TIPS Less is more when designing any B2B website. Don’t clutter the pages with callouts, buttons and links to different parts of the site. Websites Sophisticated Site Requirements
NOTES
NOTES
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Make sure your images convey your brand identity. Stock photography is a good low-‐cost option, but choose wisely – look for images that are unique yet meaningful.
WRITING TIPS
Write for the web with attention-‐getting
headlines, subheadings, short words and bullets so the user can skim. Long passive sentences and heavy copy don’t work on the web. Make it interesting. Vague statements, heavy jargon and unsubstantiated claims are weak. Instead, grab the visitor’s attention with a short but effective case study, an example or a story of your product in action. Don’t try to tell your users everything about your product or service. Instead, focus on gaining enough interest that they call or email you to learn more in person. If your copy is running off the bottom of the page, shorten it. You lose people’s attention quickly and it doesn’t look professional to present a lot of content “below the fold.” The page should focus on a single subject, so if you’re rambling, the copy is probably unfocused. Put the most important content at the top of the page. People’s eyes dart over the page, so your message should be obvious. Don’t make them read several paragraphs to get to the point.
NOTES
Notes:
WEBSITE REQUIREMENTS Websites Sophisticated Site Requirements
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Date
Company Contact
OVERVIEW Objectives: Describe the purpose of your site: how it will be used, what it needs to accomplish, and what you’re looking for. Future versions: If you envision doing more with your site in the future, please describe your vision and the estimated timing: Deadlines: Do you have to launch on a specific date? For example, you may need it before a specific trade show or media opportunity. If so, work backward to identify other potential due dates. PERSON STEP NOTES/EXERCISES THAT CAN HELP DUE DATE RESPONSIBLE Internet marketing has become an incredibly Define how the site important tool in most B2B marketers’ will be used in arsenals. If you’re not sure how you’ll use marketing programs your site, use 538 -‐ Internet Marketing Campaigns and 472– Optimize Your Website. Once you know how you’ll use your site in Determine what marketing programs, you can figure out what content and functionality you need content and functionality to provide for different types of users. to deliver Complete this current exercise Finalize the site requirements Send out RFP
Hire vendor(s) for design and
If you need help in creating an RFP or hiring vendors, see Vendor Selection See Vendor Selection if you need help
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programming (if needed) Create site architecture (if doing in-‐house)
Develop keyword list Complete the design
Write the content Soft launch – testing phase Site goes live
If you’re hiring a firm to write content and develop the site, then you can choose to leave this step to them. If you’re writing your own content and/or just using programmers to develop the site, you’ll need to complete this step. Use 304 – Sophisticated Site Architecture Use 471 – Develop Keyword List Use Copywriting and Graphic Design and to help you evaluate creative if you need help establishing criteria and giving feedback 308 -‐ Write Your Content Allot plenty of time for this phase
Team: When you’re building a sophisticated site, develop a core team of people from all departments that may be involved. Their input and ideas can help you build the most effective site. Who should be involved in the project? WHAT IS THIS PERSON’S ROLE IN THE AREAS NAME(S) PROJECT? Sales Marketing Operations IT Account management Customer service Public relations Human resources Other Other Services to be provided
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If you’re using this document in your bidding process, display the functions you’ll need from the vendor. FUNCTION WHO COMMENTS Develop the site requirements Hire and manage vendors Identify content to be included on the site Determine how the content should be organized (architecture)
Write the content
Site design
Photography (if needed)
Effects design (if needed)
Programming and testing
Site hosting
Email hosting
Marketing services to be provided: If you need additional services such as email campaign design, paid search campaign management, or other marketing services, note them here:
AUDIENCE List and describe the different types of users who will be coming to your site. User type Description: Who is this user, what does s/he want, and what should the site’s design and content do to appeal to her? Additional comments:
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MARKETING REQUIREMENTS Make sure your site is capable of supporting and tracking your marketing campaigns. How will you use it in your sales and marketing process? If you want to learn more about internet marketing campaigns, use 538 – Internet Marketing Campaigns. It can help you determine how to best utilize the internet to meet your business goals.
INTERNET MARKETING PROGRAMS (check those that you plan to use) Organic search
Paid search
Affiliate program
Online advertising
Email newsletter
Email campaigns
Websites Sophisticated Site Requirements
COMMENTS When you’re building a sophisticated site, you should absolutely optimize it for search. Develop a list of keywords, include them in your URLs and page copy, and make sure the site uses search-‐friendly technologies. [Exercise 472 can help] You’ll need a content management system that will enable you to easily set up unique landing pages for campaigns. [Exercise 477 can help] If you’re running an affiliate program and planning to pay affiliates for leads or sales, your site will need to be able to track visitors until they fill out your lead form or buy on your site. If you’re planning to build your program without the help of an affiliate network, you’ll need pages on your site to explain your program and allow users to sign up, download ads, view reports and more. [Exercise 605 can help] You’ll need landing pages for your ads – they should continue the message started by your banners. [Exercise 605 can help] If you send email newsletters or are considering them to nurture your prospects or customers, you’ll need a newsletter section with pages devoted to individual stories, links to past issues, etc. [Exercise 454 can help] It’s important to drive prospects to specific landing pages on your site. [Email Marketing can help]
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Link campaigns
OTHER MARKETING
Direct mail Radio Word of mouth Print
If you’re planning to build traffic by building inbound links to your site, make sure you have a section for links as well. For example, you could include links to industry resources, customers, suppliers, and partners. [Exercise 474 can help] COMMENTS If you’re driving them to specific offers, you’ll need to be able to set up unique landing pages for the campaigns. You’ll need a memorable URL that’s easy to spell. Same as above. Same as above.
SITE CONTENT AND ARCHITECTURE The site will contain the following content: MASTER CONTENT LIST
IMPORTANCE
[paste from the list you created in 307 – Develop your content]
H H H H H
M M M M M
L L L L L
Notes: If you’ve organized your content into sections and individual pages in the Websites.xls tool, attach the printouts with this spec. DOCUMENT NAME (CHECK THOSE THAT ARE ATTACHED)
Level 1
Level 1 and 2 sections
Websites Sophisticated Site Requirements
WHAT IT DESCRIBES Displays the primary (level 1) sections that are displayed in the main navigation and on the bottom Lists the Level 2 sections that are in each Level 1 section page 7 of 15
Page list
Multilevel map
Design and functionality by page
Lists each page and tells which Level 2 section it’s in. Briefly describes the content. Shows each of the pages underneath the Level 2 section in a map format Includes any special notes about the design or functionality that’s on individual pages
Notes about the pages or sections:
KEYWORDS AND LANDING PAGES FOR SEARCH If organic and paid search are important, use 471 to research keywords and determine how to use them in the site. If you develop keywords now, you can do a better job of incorporating them into your site. For example, you may decide to develop several landing pages that can capture organic traffic that’s searching on a particular topic. Use 311-‐N to assign keywords to individual pages. DOCUMENT NAME (CHECK THOSE THAT ARE ATTACHED)
Keywords by page
WHAT IT DESCRIBES Displays a list of pages and keywords that will be used on each; also identifies whether the page is static and focused on a specific topic
DESIGN What are the personality traits that the design should convey? [Brand Strategy can help] BRAND PERSONALITY TRAITS Describe your vision for the look and feel of the site. Websites Sophisticated Site Requirements
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Will you need any of the following design elements in the site? DESIGN ELEMENT WILL YOU USE IT? NOTES Flash Yes No TBD Be conservative in using flash in a B2B site. It is best used in small areas or specific presentations; business users often do not respond well to flash sites. Javascript Yes No TBD Search spiders can’t evaluate javascript navigation systems, so avoid using javascript in that way. What are your colors and how should they be used in the site? (You’ll need to choose web-‐safe versions of your colors; there’s a good tool: http://www.seoconsultants.com/css/colors/web-‐safe.asp) Typefaces: You’ll need to choose a web-‐safe font for headlines and body copy. Your options are limited, but choose a font that’s consistent with your branding and is in the same family as your company font. Here’s a great list of those fonts with notes on readability and design: http://www.accordmarketing.com/tid/archive/websafefonts.html. From a design perspective, identify any sites that you like and why. DESIGN ELEMENTS
SITES WE LIKE (AND WHY)
Navigation Page design Graphic design Other If you have any specific design requirements for particular pages or sections, note them here. For example, list any special graphics that you may need.
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SECTION, PAGE OR FEATURE
DESCRIBE ANY SPECIFIC DESIGN REQUIREMENTS
FUNCTIONALITY Will you need any of the following functionality in the site? FUNCTIONALITY
REQUIRED?
COMMENTS
Search
Yes
No
TBD
Audio or video
Yes
No
TBD
Database functionality
Yes
No
TBD
Real-‐time integration with other databases
Yes
No
TBD
Account login
Yes
No
TBD
SSL
Yes
No
TBD
Forms
Yes
No
TBD
Search is very important if you have a large amount of content or a variety of products that a user may quickly need to find Video can be a powerful way to deliver your message, especially if it’s complex If you’re displaying a large catalog of products, you’ll need database functionality. Describe how that information is currently stored below. If your site needs to integrate with an existing inventory or customer database; describe the databases, format and where the information is hosted If a customer needs to view an order history. If you’re processing orders and capturing billing information, you need to encrypt that information through SSL If you’re capturing information from your prospects, identify what data you need and what happens next.
Describe any of these requirements:
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Additional functionality requirements: If you identified any other functionality when you developed your list of content, please describe it below. Forms: To capture information or feedback from your visitors, list the fields needed and what happens after the visitor fills out the form: Page Purpose of form List all of the fields to capture Which fields are required? (See below) Does this form need to be encrypted?* Does the form trigger an email from the site? Describe. What page should the user go to after the form is completed? How do you receive data from the form? Are there any other special requirements? *If you’re asking for sensitive customer information, it’s best to host that page on an SSL-‐enabled server. SSL, or Secure Socket Layer, is a technology that encrypts customer data and assures them that it’s secure. You’ll also need a digital certificate. On required fields, if you can capture a visitor’s information, you can follow up with them. Unfortunately, most visitors hate forms, so balance your need for information and the visitor’s desire to get it quickly or abandon in the process. Improve your conversion rate by making sure you absolutely need every piece of information at this point in the relationship. Use a “submit” button but don’t bother with an obsolete “reset” button.
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CONTENT MANAGEMENT Will you need to modify or add content on a regular basis? For example, if you’re doing a lot of paid search or email campaigns/newsletters, you’ll need to add and modify pages on a regular basis. Please describe your requirements:
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Identify your reporting requirements for the site. What will you need to know and how should it be delivered? DESIRED FORMAT INFORMATION YOU’D LIKE TO RECEIVE PRIORITY FREQUENCY FOR DELIVERY OTHER/MISCELLANEOUS Identify any other requirements:
FUTURE VERSIONS If necessary, you can split your requirements into multiple phases to decrease your time to initial launch. LAUNCH DATE FOR VERSION FEATURES THIS VERSION
Vendor questions
SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED Websites Sophisticated Site Requirements
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We’re looking for the following services (check any that apply) SERVICE DESCRIPTION/COMMENTS Interface design Content development and site architecture Copywriting Programming Site hosting Email hosting Ongoing marketing services (describe) Our site should be developed, organized and written to current Search Engine Optimization (SEO) standards. [Search Marketing can help]
DESIGN
How many initial designs will you present, and how many iterations will you create? In addition to the actual page design, will you design and program any Flash pieces or other graphics for the site? Will you coordinate the purchase of stock photography or provide photography services if it’s needed?
TECHNOLOGY Websites Sophisticated Site Requirements
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What programming language will you use and why? How will you ensure that the site’s content, structure and technology is consistent with current SEO standards?
CONTENT MANAGEMENT What type of content management system will you provide? How intuitive is the interface and how much training will it require? How easy or difficult will it be to add landing pages for marketing campaigns? Explain the process. Is there a preview feature or do all changes go live in real time?
EXPERIENCE Websites Sophisticated Site Requirements
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Please provide a list of URLs we can review, along with an explanation of what you performed in the project. SITE URL SERVICES PERFORMED PROJECT DATES Please provide a minimum of three (3) references that you have worked with recently on similar projects. REFERENCE SERVICES PERFORMED DATES
SUMMARY
Do you foresee any challenges in implementing this project? If so, how should those challenges be addressed? Why are you the best fit for this project?
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