Checking out your competition online

When was the last time you checked out the competition online? Try a search at http://www.google.com or keep a note of websites done by your competitors, and visit them once in a while.

What sort of information are they giving consumers, and how are they using their website to maximise convenience and communication opportunities?

Give their website a quick onceover with the following questions to see how they compare to yours, and use the information to consider how you could improve your site:

Navigation:
Is it easy to find what you want? Is the navigational menu consistent from page to page?

Functionality:
Does the page load quickly? Does it use technologies such as flash sparingly and wisely? Does it require a plugin before you can view information? Are there any errors in loading the page?

Communication:
Is there a clear email address on every page? Is their postal address and phone number available and easy to find? Is there an opportunity for visitors to contribute to the site (if appropriate)?

Visual Clarity:
Are the images clean, professional looking, and appropriate for the purpose? Is the page laid out well, making good use of white space and nice use of a column or grid layout? Is the text broken up with short paragraphs, bullet points and subheadings to make it easy to read?

These are just a few of the criteria you can use to assess a competitor's website. Make a note to pop back and visit them once in a while, so you don't get left behind!

Quirk can do a professional assessment of either your own site or your competitors, highlighting areas that could use improvement. Email webdesign@Quirk.co.nz for more information.