Your success is tied to how you work the web (pt 1).

– Robert Kruger 13 July 2010

A strong presence on the internet is a non-negotiable necessity if you are going to succeed. Look at the Fortune 1000 list. Every one of those companies has invested in making their name known by as many people as possible. Lists like the ones published by Fortune make it easy to identify and analyze successful branding strategies. Use them as case studies to help you prioritize your own marketing decisions.

It can also be helpful to analyze businesses that are failing or have failed. We can learn from their mistakes. Unfortunately, published lists of failures are harder to come by. Keep your eyes open for faltering businesses. Perhaps you hear that one of your direct competitors has announced a layoff. Maybe you see that a retail store is going out of business. Notice if a nearby restaurant is always empty at lunchtime.

Pick one company that you know is succeeding and another that you know is failing. Ask yourself the following questions about both companies.

• How easy was it to find each company’s website? Did you already know their web address or did you rely on Google to find it? If you already knew it, try to recall how you learned it.
• When you read each company’s website, do you quickly and clearly understand what the company does? Is it an easy read, or do you find yourself skimming over copy and clicking through the navigation looking for something that holds your attention?
• Once you understand each company, can you find them on Google using logical but generic search terms? In other words, don’t just search for the company’s name - imagine that your are looking for whatever product or service the company sells, but you’ve never heard of the company.
• Does each company’s website convey professionalism and trustworthiness? Be honest about your ability to make this assessment. If you don’t have an eye for design, ask your creative agency to give you their opinion about the two companies’ websites.

I know that a company can succeed with poor quality communications, and a company with a great website still might fail, but if you run through this exercise a few times (pairing different companies each time), you should start to recognize trends that lead to success.

Our Dialogs Professional Services team has seen a lot of websites. We’re happy to show you how easy it can be to work the web.