Let’s be real.  Buyers today are just as demanding as those in the past.  What’s different today is they have access to a lot more information about companies and their products from a variety of sources.  That information empowers buyers and stimulates them to be much more forthright with their demands in partnering with the companies they buy from.

We hear a lot today about social media and it’s for good reason. Participation in social media channels is exploding.  That said, though, buyers still turn to corporate websites for information.

Makes it easy for your prospects and customers to find the information they need.  Let’s talk about how website information architecture can help you do just that.

 

What’s information architecture is all about

Website information architecture is all about organizing your public (and private) website’s content and features to make it easier for visitors to find information.  But it’s also about fulfilling user needs in a way that also fulfills business needs.

Think of it this way.  User needs is about the user experience on a website while business needs includes how you capture information about the user and her activities.  Business needs also include reporting and the underlying systems.

The diagram below will help highlight the two arenas of needs.

Click here to view an enlarged image.

 

Optimally, you need to find the balance point between user needs and business needs.  Too high a focus on user needs alone can come at the sacrifice of business efficiency while too much focus on business needs make for a cumbersome user experience.

 

Typical information architecture services

IA services revolve around diagnosis and analysis of business processes, technology, target audiences and competitors.

Intelligence gained from analytical studies is then used to define requirements for enhancements to your website’s user experience and content, or to your company’s business processes or integration from websites to back-office systems.

Reviewing your company’s website is cornerstone but just the starting point.  IA should also review any of your business systems that impact or are impacted by your website.  These will include your CRM, accounting, and shipping solutions because these systems gather information from your website, thus impacting your business processes.

 

The web team

In terms of a web team, you’ll need management members with KPI responsibilities for website results, web designers(s), content generator(s), and IA professionals.

When looking at IA consulting firms, look for those with expertise or knowledge in both web design and technology.

 

Summary

You want an attention-getting web design and compelling content for your website.  But before you spend money on web design, start with IA.  That’s the secret to satisfying user needs and business needs and landing and keeping more customers.

Contact me if you have questions or need IA help. It's part of what we do.