When I sit down with a new web client, or a current one looking to redesign their web site, this is how I frame what I do for them:
Think of your website as a story. It’s a story that builds your authority in the minds of your readers. The authority you build through your website story is then used to convert your readers. A conversion can be anything you want. Click a link/advert, contact you, buy a product, sign up for something, or leave a comment. I frame your story. I give it life and work with you to make it deliver the results you want. I think about web technology and code and graphics and search engines and everything else that seems to change every 10 minutes. You concentrate on your story. Concentrate on building yourself up as an authority through your website.
There’s a lot more to my approach than what’s there, but the client doesn’t need to know about it at the beginning. If I can get them from the start thinking about their content as a story, I seem to get better content from them; which means a better web site. Writing is always the most important part of any website. And that includes images. It’s true that a picture says a thousand words, so it’s very important to pick good ones. If they don’t add anything to the story, get rid of them or replace them.
I’m a bit of a shoeless shoemaker on this one. jasonprini.com is not a particularly good example of this concept. I’ve taken this approach with domesticrenovations.com, and I’m just polishing off a new site confidencebooster.ca that’s now getting it’s “story” tweaked before official launch.
