I have recently been to a number of web sites that have been elaborately designed and look very sharp. However, I have no idea where to go once I get there. “Is this what I am looking for?” I ask myself. Are they selling something? Are they a service?

A good rule of thumb I have found to work by is to create each web page with one purpose. If it is a the main landing page, what do I want visitors to know and then where do I want them to go? Once that is determined, I have found that page appearance pales in comparison to the contents. Once I know the purpose of a page, the contents come much more naturally.

Knowing the purpose of a page comes as part of a web of an entire site. Each page should be focused on getting the visitor to the same spot, an order page (or equivalent), armed with the information that will get them excited to make a purchase. This purpose is found by knowing your target market and knowing how they think, what they need, how they feel, etc.