San Antonio's small business website design and development company - Focused Idea

What category do your visitors fit into?

Although every web surfer has his or her own "style," it helps if you know the general categories of perople who regularly use the internet. They can be broken up into six categories. Knowing these categories can help you decide on how your promotion and site-building tactics. Let's discuss these categories.

   Simplifiers - They use the net to make life easier in some way. They have a purpose in mind each time they log on.
   How to hook 'em: Sites must provide clean, uncluttered content. Ease of access and use are very important to this group. The key is to make product information available and simple to access.

   Surfers - At one time, surfers drove the net. Surfers move from site to site continually seeking new experiences. They are stimuli junkies and are always looking for new bells and whistles.
   How to hook 'em: For these people, you need cutting-edge site design and special effects. These people get bored easily and are quickly uninterested unless your site is updated regularly. But beware, surfers don't like to spend money. They believe the web is free entertainment. To attract them means cutting-edge design and features, constant updates, and an assortment of products and services.

   Newbies - These are people who are new to the Internet, and, often new to computers in general. Their favorite features are email and chat rooms. They tend to go for specific subject matters. Since they return to sites they enjoy, it is relatively easy getting them to come back.
   How to hook 'em: Keep your site simple. Guide newbies every step of the way.

   Bargainers - They are devoted to the quest for deals. They love the adrenaline rush they get when they find the lowest price. The hunt is more exciting than the capture.
   How to hook 'em: Appeal on both their rational and emotional levels. Satisfy their need for the lowest price. They possess an urge to tell their friends about the deals they got. Use price comparisons to show them how much they saved.

   Traditionalists - These people tend to hang out at news sites, financial sites, and portals. They spend twice as much time per page as the average person. They want all the news that will fit on a web page. They wnat to feel they're getting something special for their time spent online.
   How to hook 'em: Create your own portal. Get rid of the fluff, keep your content to the point.

   Information junkies - These people wnat to know everything about anything. They fill their heads with trivia. They may have a secret desire to be on Jeopardy. But information junkies may be your best friends. They may want information that only you can provide.
   How to hook 'em: Make it your mission to attract these people. Establish yourself as an expert in their field. It doesn't always make a difference whether you are or not.

Once your site visitors are defined you will want to move to the next step - Who (or what) do you want to target? Find out in the next part of this series. Sign up for RSS at Focused Idea.