There is a good chance your website is failing you — yes, really*.
There is a good chance it’s not doing what you think it should. Sure, it might look good, be responsive, and even have the right content. But without a clear purpose, your website is little more than a pretty picture, or maybe a potted plant, something nice to look at but not much more than that.
*some awesome websites do exist.
Here’s the hard truth: a website without a specific goal is useless. And chances are, if you haven’t taken the time to define the purpose of your website and align it with your business objectives, it’s already falling short.
In this article will guide you through the process of evaluating your website’s purpose and help you turn it into the powerful tool it was meant to be.
Why Many Websites Fail
There are millions of websites out there, yet so many of them don’t serve a clear purpose. They exist because someone told you a website is essential for business (and they’re right, it is), but beyond that, no real thought was given to what the website should actually do.
Websites aren’t magic: A website isn’t a one-size-fits-all tool that will magically generate leads or close sales just because it’s online.
So, why does your website exist?
Is it just because you were told you needed one? Because everyone has one. Or do you have a clear need, with measurable goals in place for what you want your website to achieve?
Here’s where many business owners, designers, and developers get stuck.
They think of their website as a digital platform where they can dump all their content, services, and products, hoping it will somehow magically work. But for a website to be useful, you need to define its purpose. Without a clear, focused goal, your site is nothing more than a glorified virtual business card.
A cute puppy is always going to make you smile, but probably won’t get you new clients.
It is important to understand more about the ‘why’ you need a website. Ultimately there are two key things that you need to be certain you know:
Business Goals: What are your business goals? What do you want to achieve with your website? Is the most important goal to get leads, direct sales, or is it customer engagement?
User Goals: Do you know what your user goals are? What are they looking for? Does your website provide them with information? Or do you provide services, or a solution to their problems?
The secret sauce: If your website is designed to meet only one of these and neglects the other, it won’t be effective. You need to balance business and user goals so that both are aligned and work towards a common purpose.
TLDR; It is important to know the goals of your website.
Mapping Out Your Website’s Goals
So how do you figure out what your website’s purpose should be? It’s time to think critically and map out the goals you want to achieve. Here’s a simple approach to get you started:
1. Define Your Business Goals: Start by asking yourself what success looks like for your business. Is it more leads? Higher sales? Better engagement with your brand? Be specific. Vague goals like “increase brand awareness” don’t provide a roadmap to success.
2. Identify User Needs: Next, put yourself in your users’ shoes. What are they hoping to find when they visit your website? Solutions to their problems, helpful information, or maybe a seamless shopping experience?
3. Align the Two: The sweet spot lies where your business goals overlap with the needs of your users. If your website can provide value to your users while achieving your business objectives, it will be far more effective.
To make this easier, I’ve created a Miro board where you can visually map out both your business and user goals. This exercise will help you focus on what truly matters and shape your website’s purpose in a clear, structured way.
What Makes a Website Useful?
A useful website is one that has a clear, specific purpose. When your website’s goals are clearly defined, it becomes a much more powerful tool, because everything from your design to your content is working towards achieving those goals.
Here are a few ways you can make your website more useful:
Be Specific: Don’t try to do too many things at once. If your website’s purpose is to generate leads, make sure it’s optimized to do that, from the content you create to the calls to action you use.
Measure Success: Once you’ve defined your goals, figure out how to measure them. Are you tracking website traffic, leads generated, sales conversions? If you’re not measuring success, you’ll never know if your website is doing its job.
Adapt and Evolve: As your business grows and changes, your website should too. If you’ve launched new services or your user base has shifted, revisit your website goals and make sure they’re still aligned with where your business is headed.
Dot Studio is here to help you rethink your website
If you’re still reading this, chances are you’re realising that your website might not be as effective as you thought. And that’s okay. The good news is, you can start making changes today.
The first step? Take a moment to map out your website’s goals using the Miro board I mentioned earlier. It will help you visualise the purpose of your website and start building it around what truly matters. If you’re not sure where to start or need help defining your goals, feel free to reach out to me.
I can help you rethink your website’s purpose and make sure it’s set up to achieve your business objectives.
Your website can work wonders — but only if you give it a reason to.
