Online Communities Handbook: Building Your Business and Brand on the Web

Plan Your Website

Your online community will need a website to house it. When planning this website, consider not only the theme and brand integration strategy you have chosen, but also everything you have learned about your target users. Are they knowledgeable about the Internet? If not, you should avoid tricky navigation, flashy website design, and complex functionalities. What are the circumstances in which they’re likely to access the website? Are you dealing with an impatient user who makes frequent short visits, or a more relaxed user willing to spend some time surfing around? The second type of user likes content navigation, where one activity or piece of content leads organically to another, while users who are in a hurry prefer a well-structured ...