Public Relations Assignment
Introduction
Present-day business market situations and developments need an online presence for any corporation that hopes to not only succeed, but also convey its influence all over the world. Globalization has the key to this, via technology, making it easy to go international on business trades. Nevertheless, it is imperative that a corporation’s worldwide appearance in advertisements via its site is a reflection of its image and status. As many people are linked to internet via mobile phones, computers or tablets, a corporation’s website would be the initial stop, for any person, organization or financiers desiring to trade with the advertising corporation. The site as a result should be spontaneous in offering necessary data about the corporation, the area of operation, and also a summary of commodities and service available. User affability, easiness, accessibility as well as site alertness are amongst the core elements of an operational site that ought to be kept in mind. On top of this, e-commerce and social media incorporation into the site would be essential instruments for the website, more so for a business-connected site as contemporary corporates trends depend on assimilation of social mass media and e-commerce. In reforming an already existing website, caution is essential to make sure that the remake will come in with fresh data, as well as interface to the old site. A number of things in the old site can yet be helpful and thus need to be assimilated. Reshaping and revamping are time conscious as the procedures involve looking at many things as well as extensive strategizing prior to release of the end product.
Plan for Redeveloping and Redesigning a Website
The verity that the website is a vital part of the corporation’s venture makes it obligatory to reshape it keeping in mind that a business develops, and same thing happens to communication medium between its clients and business. The site as a result ought to grow its design, material, interaction and interface with the clients. It is for this reason that it is essential to come up with policies on what to remove, to add and what is of main concern for the revamp and renovation of the site. Via research as well as the likely situation, the corporation is competent to agree on the way forward for the site as well as its significance to the corporation. In addition, it is makes it easier to elaborate to the web creator what the corporation anticipates of the site (Bacic, 2013).
The study procedure is imperative as it tolerates collation of data from clients on impediments with the site being dismantled. Clients’ response as well lets them; the core users of the site to provide ideas on what they want to be incorporated in the new website as well as on the advancements on facets of the old site. On top of this, the study procedure as well agrees to gathering of response and guideline from website design experts. These experts are imperative in provision of season guideline on the site plan values, design and functionality, which are essential components in the remake as well as renovation procedure.
The study as well provides a chance to explore other sites in the same field as the corporation, and one with fruitful business revenue (Bacic, 2013). Fundamentally, the process is imperative as it will tolerate setting of website objectives that incorporate conversion rate and user involvement flow and also improving search engine optimization which should all allude to corporation core aim. The site thus should be the foundation from which the corporation fosters as well as creates its leads. The study as well allows the establishment of assessable goals for the new site. The goals will provide a gauge for evaluating the effect of the new website the moment it commences its operations.
An easy to understand document of specification is formed from the study which highlights approvals. This document will hold the likely site plan, page content, favored design in color scheme as well as wireframe structures (Bacic, 2013). All this will be included in the comprehensive document and will focus on responding on the question of what the website users will want as well as what the corporation requires the clients to undertake as they visit the website. The remake will as well incorporate the designing of the site for mobile phones and tablets, as majority of client will utilize this tools to reach the site. As a result, via research data on the mostly visited sites and tools will have been seized making it easy to improve these tools.
With all these achieved from the designing, the other stage is renovating the site. This will incorporate instilling all decisions made in the study as well as reshaping level. A stipulated date for the unveiling of the reshaped site ought to be stated, and more so a checklist on the operation of the website. The checklist will incorporate things like the image of the approved website, accessibility of backup, easy operation of the website and sending on from outdated to fresh pages (Bacic, 2013).
Website Content and Structure
As the site is the first thing customers will focus on when in need of data and services offered by the corporation, it is essential for the website material and plan are not only appealing and functioning, but also meet their set objectives, regardless of whether providing data or pushing the corporations sales.
Material provided on the site thus ought to focus on the customers the corporation hopes to entice. As it is a corporation site, the core motive of the site is pushing the sales as well as enticing targeted clients to the website and corporation at last. As it is stated, “web design in not about art, it’s about making money (or disseminating information)…you don’t want to design a site that might confuse someone. You want your visitors to quickly find what they’re looking for” (Shelstad, 2005, p. 209). As a result, the corporation’s site ought to hold suitable material, it wants to convey to clients.
Out-of-date content makes the website unattractive, and also portrays the corporation in undesirable manner. As a result, the information on the website ought to be posted frequently. In line with Krotz (2011), “Even if your site is not content-rich, a key to getting repeat visitors is to offer something new when they return – new graphics, new product information, new offers, new article links, new company news, whatever.” Alteration in website data is chiefly essential as it “gives you a chance to vary the offerings you tout and test what resonates with your target audience” (Krotz, 2011).
Material on the website ought to articulate the corporation’s story also and be noticeable from other corporate sites offering same goods and services as the company. For this reason, the material should hold a special feel to make it easy to link with client. The relation ought to be evident all over the pages of the site to promise coherence and stability (Krotz, 2011). On top of this, the material ought to be easy for all clients to fathom, whether regular or potential clients. Furthermore, the material ought not to be in large amounts or less, however it provides clients ample data about commodities and discounts the corporation possess.
A site ought to hold an in-built user interface as its structure. Utilization of graphics as well as stock picture on the web structure makes it more enticing. Nevertheless, these ought to solitary be included if required in order that they will not fill up the website and make it inept. The web structure thus should make use of well-known items and navigations. These navigations ought to not only work, but also be easy to use. When it comes to the ease of navigation, it is crucial to keep in mind “The faster and easier the navigation, the happier your customer will be” (Krotz, 2011).
Social media is currently a requirement for ventures and corporations. As a result, incorporating these social media on the web structure depicts a progressive corporation links with clients. What is more essential is that the site organization ought to be improved for mobile phone and tablet programing. This is to guarantee that anyone can reach the website regardless of the time.
An e-commerce website will require reliability for clients to depend on it for goods. As a result, it is crucial in the structure to guarantee clients site protection. Safeguarding the web as well as showing the permits will gain clients trust. For this reason, website encryption as well as protection techniques such as SSL, Entrust as well as VeriSign are amongst choices present in the web organization.
IT and Security Issues
Fundamentally, the website needs validation actions for input and output information. Content utilized on the web need to be certified for length, syntax as well as type to make sure that bad codes are not put on the site (Watson Hall, n.d., p.1). Together with certification of content input, the information ought not to be kept on the site or the webs database since there is possibility of reach of this material via SQL injection if the system is not well built (Watson Hall, n.d., p.1).
The website considerably has active as well as competent validation and session running system. Known for validation and management is the verity that “If authentication (verification of identity, registration, and logging in), authorization (granting access rights), and session management (keeping track of the identity of a logged in user while they browse a website) can be circumvented or altered, a user could access resources they are not allowed to” (Watson Hall, n.d., p. 2). To handle such an issue, the web has protected, encrypted and devoted forms for client login information.
The running of the website will be a great force for the venture, it is thus essential that the servers for the site functioning are kept secure as well as far from assaults and theft by invaders. On top of this, it is essential that the websites have backups for site running if the chief server goes offline or is under repair. This will guarantee that clients will go on enjoying services even during outrages.
Mistakes that emerge from the servers, search engines, partner companies and workers when leaked can be a basis for data on the site. These incorporates site’s safety, technologies as well as business logic. Care ought to be undertaken to guarantee that such data is not disclosed as an invader can use it. To deal with such leaks “Exceptions such as user data validation messages, missing pages and server errors should be handled by the code so that a custom page is displayed that does not provide any system information to the user” (Watson Hall, n.d., p. 3).
Online Presence of Similar Companies
For instance, being a worldwide marker of cosmetics, other diverse corporations are notable in the field with website presence. Business professionals have signposted, “For most businesses today, having a presence on the Internet is the modern equivalent to being listed in the phone book” (Needleman, 2011). The cosmetic corporations with high web presence incorporate the Artistry, Clinique, Oriflame, as well as Mary Kay to name but a few. Oriflame, for instance, has a site that takes clients on a country’s specific website at its inauguration. On the website, the corporation has diverse commodity providing discount opportunities and also settings of its stores. On top of this, the corporation works on Twitter, Facebook as well as YouTube accounts that aid them get in touch with clients and also showcase their commodities, hence location and preservation of an online existence is essential for the venture (Garone, 2009)
Promoting the Website
Establishment of the sites is not all for the corporation, it will need alertness to the corporation to increase the number of visitors on the website. As a result, embracing social media where there is vast number of client as well as likely user will be one of great ways of boosting the site. Facebook and Twitter have many users on day to day basis, with Facebook averaging 482 daily active consumers (Pozin, 2012). As stated, endorsing the website via Facebook advertisements will be a one-step towards getting more clients to the new website.
SEO is still another means of endorsing the website. Search engine optimization surges the presence of the site via page optimization by keyword phrases that will be utilized in the search. As many individuals utilize Google to search, SEO makes the website easy to detect whenever the keywords are used for any search. Utilizing Google once more, the corporation can build video as well as uplaod them on YouTube. “From there, not only does Google index your content, but others can embed your video on their blogs and share it via social media” (Pozin, 2012).
Gossip and good public relation can as well be great means of endorsing the site. The corporation can spur consumers to disseminate word of the site. By taking such actions, the corporation attracts more users as majority of the people will have faith in the viewpoint of their colleagues and associates. Through establishing a great status and appearance, it is likely that the website will attract more people who trust and have high opinion on the corporation. In addition, as a source or big press releases aids the corporation in attracting traffic.
Conclusion
A website is a significant component in the present-day corporate world. Reshaping and renovating a new site as a result need a well-executed plan for site to be effective as a means of powering the corporation’s objectives. The material as well as the plan ought to not only have aesthetic worth, but also talk to clients and contribute to corporation’s general objective. Furthermore, the firm ought to guarantee that the site is secure for both clients and itself to shun any issues that may damage its status. Following redesigning the site, the corporation ought to get started on promotional undertakings to increase number of visitors into the web.
References
Bacic, Haris. 2013. “How to Successfully Redesign Your Website.” Forbes, viewed 9 December 2013 http://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2013/08/19/how-to-successfully-redesign-your-website/
Garone, Elizabeth. 2009. “A Web Presence from Scratch.” The Wall Street Journal, viewed 9 December 2013 http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB124270066448733341
Krotz, Joanna, L. 2011. 10 Ways to make your Web site ‘sticky’. Microsoft Business, viewed 9 December 2013 http://www.microsoft.com/business/en-us/resources/marketing/online-marketing/10-ways-to-make-your-Web-site-sticky.aspx?fbid=bdSyXP160gB
Needleman, Sarah. 2011. “A Web Presence without a Website.” The Wall Street Journal, viewed 9 December 2013 http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748703859304576309791299294436
Pozin, Ilya. 2012. “10 Proven Ways to Market Your Website.” Forbes, viewed 9 December 2013 http://www.forbes.com/sites/ilyapozin/2012/04/11/10-proven-ways-to-market-your-website/
Shelstad, Mark. 2005. “Content matters: analysis off a website redesign.” OCLC Systems and Services, Vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 209-224
Watson Hall. n.d. Top 10 Website Security Issues. Watson Hall