Setting Web Goals for 2008
Welcome to 2008. As you look back on the last year, have you accomplished all of the things you set out to do on your Web site?
Did you have specific goals going into last year? And let’s just say that, a new design, redesign or new product line on your site does not account for a successful goal. Did you go into the year with specific revenue goals or conversion targets? Did you increase the average value of a site visitor? Or increase leads by 10 percent?
Its true most companies don't set web goals that are shared across their company, and then track to them. They are usually focused on accomplishing a huge list of projects or initiatives on time and on budget that have been thought up throughout the year.
So how do you know if you were successful in 2007 compared to 2006, I think so, isn't a good metric, as the bar gets raised online for everyone? The times, they are a changing not just retail or commerce, but B2B and lead generation, too. More people are spending more time online, researching, shopping, and communicating. If you don't take the time to define what success means to your organization online, the chances are very slim that you’ll take full advantage of it.
So how do you change this for 2008; by working on this now? You need to pull together your leadership team and define what success means to your company online. And don’t just tie it to online transactions, but look at it from outside the web as well. What contacts start online and continue offline or vice versa? Look at ways to defined success, which will help you to establish KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) based on these goals. Then determine which ones you want to focus on in 2008. Monetize the different desired behaviors on your site that lead to the overall business goals. Get with your web team to incorporate these metrics into your site. Going through this process may not be easy, but can significantly improve your company's success online.