Comments on: How Do You Create a Web Site for All Generations? http://www.wordsellinc.com/blog/online-marketing/how-do-you-create-a-web-site-for-all-generations/ Content Marketing, SEO Copywriting, Blog Consulting Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:07:43 +0000 hourly 1 By: Brad Shorr http://www.wordsellinc.com/blog/online-marketing/how-do-you-create-a-web-site-for-all-generations/comment-page-1/#comment-5208 Brad Shorr Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:48:55 +0000 http://www.wordsellinc.com/?p=794#comment-5208 Erica, Thanks for your ideas. One point that's definitely coming out of this conversation is this - you need to know your audience. Erica, Thanks for your ideas. One point that’s definitely coming out of this conversation is this – you need to know your audience.

]]> By: Erica DeWolf http://www.wordsellinc.com/blog/online-marketing/how-do-you-create-a-web-site-for-all-generations/comment-page-1/#comment-5202 Erica DeWolf Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:23:15 +0000 http://www.wordsellinc.com/?p=794#comment-5202 This is a great question, with a complicated and multi-faceted answer. I truly believe that you can create a website that is geared to each of these different audiences. However, appealing to everyone I think is impossible. So how do you gear the website towards all of your audiences? Address them all on the main page of your site. But create similar pages for each of these audiences, kind of like how you pointed out above. But don't make them so blatantly obvious. Get creative. For example, for a church website, the link for the young, "Facebook" generation could read "Youth News and Activities," and so forth. I would be interested to hear about what others' opinions are about these ideas. Please let me know! This is a great question, with a complicated and multi-faceted answer. I truly believe that you can create a website that is geared to each of these different audiences. However, appealing to everyone I think is impossible.

So how do you gear the website towards all of your audiences? Address them all on the main page of your site. But create similar pages for each of these audiences, kind of like how you pointed out above. But don’t make them so blatantly obvious. Get creative.

For example, for a church website, the link for the young, “Facebook” generation could read “Youth News and Activities,” and so forth.

I would be interested to hear about what others’ opinions are about these ideas. Please let me know!

]]> By: Brad Shorr http://www.wordsellinc.com/blog/online-marketing/how-do-you-create-a-web-site-for-all-generations/comment-page-1/#comment-5189 Brad Shorr Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:32:15 +0000 http://www.wordsellinc.com/?p=794#comment-5189 Jackie, that's a great suggestion. Why make assumptions when you can simply ask? Your comment made me think of the Tom Hanks movie "Big". Remember that one? When Hanks went to work for the toy company, some of the "grownups" got it, and others didn't. But the ones who got it and listened - they profited! Jackie, that’s a great suggestion. Why make assumptions when you can simply ask? Your comment made me think of the Tom Hanks movie “Big”. Remember that one? When Hanks went to work for the toy company, some of the “grownups” got it, and others didn’t. But the ones who got it and listened – they profited!

]]> By: Jackie Cameron http://www.wordsellinc.com/blog/online-marketing/how-do-you-create-a-web-site-for-all-generations/comment-page-1/#comment-5188 Jackie Cameron Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:22:32 +0000 http://www.wordsellinc.com/?p=794#comment-5188 Brad In the project I just finished I was working with 16 year olds making suggestions for a social networking site that a large corporation could use to enhance communication amongst its employees. Using what they know and use instinctively they made a wise and interesting presentation to the senior people representing the company who asked great questions. There is potential for a further collaboration across the generations. Regardless of the ages involved though some of the youngsters connected with the recognised social networking sites far less than what we might consider usual - and some of the oldies were really clued into what they were talking about. Like all good projects by making no assumptions some interesting things can emerge. I wonder if reps of all of your groups could collaborate on defining the need and designing the end result! Brad In the project I just finished I was working with 16 year olds making suggestions for a social networking site that a large corporation could use to enhance communication amongst its employees. Using what they know and use instinctively they made a wise and interesting presentation to the senior people representing the company who asked great questions. There is potential for a further collaboration across the generations. Regardless of the ages involved though some of the youngsters connected with the recognised social networking sites far less than what we might consider usual – and some of the oldies were really clued into what they were talking about. Like all good projects by making no assumptions some interesting things can emerge. I wonder if reps of all of your groups could collaborate on defining the need and designing the end result!

]]> By: Brad Shorr http://www.wordsellinc.com/blog/online-marketing/how-do-you-create-a-web-site-for-all-generations/comment-page-1/#comment-5179 Brad Shorr Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:22:58 +0000 http://www.wordsellinc.com/?p=794#comment-5179 Ulla, You can generalize about age preferences, I think, but there are always exceptions. Maybe breaking down a site along the lines of clueless/clued in makes more sense than making assumptions about age? Ulla, You can generalize about age preferences, I think, but there are always exceptions. Maybe breaking down a site along the lines of clueless/clued in makes more sense than making assumptions about age?

]]> By: Ulla Hennig http://www.wordsellinc.com/blog/online-marketing/how-do-you-create-a-web-site-for-all-generations/comment-page-1/#comment-5178 Ulla Hennig Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:16:09 +0000 http://www.wordsellinc.com/?p=794#comment-5178 I think the 1st thing is to realize, how many audiences you can have, and that older people now may play an important role in visiting websites. I know many older people who are heavy web-users. For example the website of "my" university: you have students (interested in more flashy design), you have researchers (simple and straight), you could have press people (how quickly can I find the information), you could have people interested in our events (simple and straight). I think you can't have websites for different audiences which are liked the same way by them, you've got to find a website which is liked by most of them. Just my 2 cents, Ulla I think the 1st thing is to realize, how many audiences you can have, and that older people now may play an important role in visiting websites. I know many older people who are heavy web-users. For example the website of “my” university: you have students (interested in more flashy design), you have researchers (simple and straight), you could have press people (how quickly can I find the information), you could have people interested in our events (simple and straight).
I think you can’t have websites for different audiences which are liked the same way by them, you’ve got to find a website which is liked by most of them.
Just my 2 cents,
Ulla

]]> By: Brad Shorr http://www.wordsellinc.com/blog/online-marketing/how-do-you-create-a-web-site-for-all-generations/comment-page-1/#comment-5174 Brad Shorr Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:25:45 +0000 http://www.wordsellinc.com/?p=794#comment-5174 Barbara, Thanks for that interesting link! From what I've seen, most church sites are pretty lame, though there are some amazingly good ones out there. Perhaps I'll investigate and report back on some of the better ones. Andrew, Definitely some audiences are less diverse than others, but each company has to think carefully about its audience. Some accounting firms have clients who are in their 20's to 65+. No doubt phone companies, like churches, have the most obvious need for broad appeal. I wonder -do those two areas lag because of bureaucracy? Barbara, Thanks for that interesting link! From what I’ve seen, most church sites are pretty lame, though there are some amazingly good ones out there. Perhaps I’ll investigate and report back on some of the better ones. Andrew, Definitely some audiences are less diverse than others, but each company has to think carefully about its audience. Some accounting firms have clients who are in their 20’s to 65+. No doubt phone companies, like churches, have the most obvious need for broad appeal. I wonder -do those two areas lag because of bureaucracy?

]]> By: Andrew http://www.wordsellinc.com/blog/online-marketing/how-do-you-create-a-web-site-for-all-generations/comment-page-1/#comment-5164 Andrew Tue, 08 Jul 2008 22:37:01 +0000 http://www.wordsellinc.com/?p=794#comment-5164 Brad, I would definitely tick the first option. In the case of a church, where there are many different age groups within the one community, I can certainly see why the idea of tailoring the site to suit those of differing age groups has considerable merit. Whether or not this is appropriate will depend on your target market. An accounting firm, for instance, would need only one web site, specifically aimed at business people - its key target market. On the other hand, a phone company or internet service provider might be aiming at a clientele with a wide variation in terms of age and technological capabilities, and well consider customization of their site to suit different types of customers. Brad,

I would definitely tick the first option.

In the case of a church, where there are many different age groups within the one community, I can certainly see why the idea of tailoring the site to suit those of differing age groups has considerable merit.

Whether or not this is appropriate will depend on your target market. An accounting firm, for instance, would need only one web site, specifically aimed at business people – its key target market.

On the other hand, a phone company or internet service provider might be aiming at a clientele with a wide variation in terms of age and technological capabilities, and well consider customization of their site to suit different types of customers.

]]> By: Barbara Rozgonyi http://www.wordsellinc.com/blog/online-marketing/how-do-you-create-a-web-site-for-all-generations/comment-page-1/#comment-5162 Barbara Rozgonyi Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:53:48 +0000 http://www.wordsellinc.com/?p=794#comment-5162 Sounds like we volunteer in similar places, Brad. The companies with one-size-fits-all sites that come to mind first for me? online retailers with broad appeal, like amazon.com. Found this article about how churches need to start designing for the iPhone: http://tinyurl.com/6s837e - which mentions a blog called Heal Your Church Website. Maybe church sites are the one businesses want to watch? Sounds like we volunteer in similar places, Brad. The companies with one-size-fits-all sites that come to mind first for me? online retailers with broad appeal, like amazon.com.

Found this article about how churches need to start designing for the iPhone: http://tinyurl.com/6s837e – which mentions a blog called Heal Your Church Website. Maybe church sites are the one businesses want to watch?

]]> By: Brad Shorr http://www.wordsellinc.com/blog/online-marketing/how-do-you-create-a-web-site-for-all-generations/comment-page-1/#comment-5155 Brad Shorr Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:26:31 +0000 http://www.wordsellinc.com/?p=794#comment-5155 Robert, Joanna. LOL. It's better your way, for sure! Might be a tad offensive though. People don't like to admit they're clueless, except when it comes to technology. Some people wear their cluelessness like a badge of honor, yet they still need to use the Web. Robert, Joanna. LOL. It’s better your way, for sure! Might be a tad offensive though. People don’t like to admit they’re clueless, except when it comes to technology. Some people wear their cluelessness like a badge of honor, yet they still need to use the Web.

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