Getting Directions
Summer is a great time of year! Even when gas prices are up the American way is still to load up the family and head out for a day, a week-end, a week or a month long road trip! Exploring the country side, beaches, national parks and other great places making memories that last a lifetime.
A Trip Down Nostalgia Lane
Maybe I’m just getting older, but I remember those nostalgic trips of my youth. First, with my parents there was the big trip to
- And of course GRANDMA’S house!
Along the way my parents used the infamous atlas to guide us across the country. My mom is wonderful navigator, though my dad never would have asked for directions, even if she wasn’t.
Municipal websites are much like driving across the country. You know you want to get to the good stuff:
- Or other online transactions that keep you out of line and save time.
Who Will Stop and Ask for Directions?
Yes, yes the search box and site map are there (or should be) but stop and get out of the car (mentally) to ask for direction? Well, if you are anything like my dad, you are saying, “I can find it just give me some time.”
If the webmasters knew you were struggling they would be praying please use the search box, or ask for direction it is right here. But don’t forget most people will abandon a site within 30 seconds to 1.5 minutes.
That is why having a smartly architecture site is basic building block to a successful municipal website.
Use Clear Road Signs
Helping your site visitors find information can be done in lots of ways such as:
Using Boxes, Grading or Coloring/Shading areas to help call the users attention to areas
Icons for commonly sought after items
- Pull Down Menus
- Drop Down Menus
- Bold Headers
- Most importantly is the efficient reuse of content which saves your publishers time so they don’t have to republish and keep up with like information in various areas throughout the site.
Enjoy the Ride
Save yourself some time with smart publishing and smart architecture and get out on that road trip today!
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