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Designing around the needs of the firm, not the user
Websites are for your users, not your firm. “What do we want on our website?” is the absolute wrong question to ask. Because what your firm wants to put on your website may not always align with what your users want to see on your website.
You need to have an audience-centric content strategy — singularly focused on the different ways that users find and consume information on your website.
The opinions and preferences of senior leadership, and even the individual opinions of members of the marketing team matter very little compared to the end user. Your sole and singular goal when developing a new website should be creating a comprehensive and valuable experience for your users, not your internal team.
Users want to find what they’re looking for as quickly and easily as possible. Make it easy, make it organized, and don’t make the user think. However, in order for users to find what they’re looking for, you need to put what they’re looking for on the website.
When it comes to how you design, plan, and architect your website, think about users and their needs, use cases, and generally what users want to do or find when they come to your website.