Everyone agrees that you do NOT get a second chance to make a first impression. Companies spend a lot of time and money thinking about tradeshows, brochures, business cards, logos and other forms of collateral. The part that amazes me is how little thought (or understanding) is given towards their web site.

A web site is more than a first impression. It is your Director of First Impressions. In most organizations, Director level positions are held by those who are experienced enough to make strategic decisions on behalf of the company. Directors also carry the accountability that goes along with this level of responsibility. Suggesting that a company place a $10/hr temporary employee in a Director role would be completely out of the question.

Is your web site a Director of First Impressions (i.e. experienced, responsible, leading users in the right direction) or is it a $10/hr temporary employee that’s more interested in doing its own thing and leading people off your site by design or lack of support? Do you pay your web site what it’s worth or is it an underpaid, underdeveloped representative of your company?

As fiscal budgets are being reviewed, perhaps it is time to evaluate what you are willing to pay (spend on) your website.

Synaptic navigation is the art of presenting the web site user with a custom navigation experience.  Synaptic navigation allows users to follow their own thought process while navigating your site. For example, if a user is looking at a specific product or service and sees a link or call out to related information, there is a chance that they will stay engaged on your site longer.

Usually backed up by linear or traditional navigation and robust search capabilities, synaptic navigation is a departure from directing users down a specific path to what you think they are looking for. The challenge is for designers and developers to think about all the ways content can link to itself throughout the site.

Most web sites attempt to follow the three click rule. If users can’t find what they need within three clicks, they will most likely move on to your competitor’s site. Users are becoming more savvy and want to build a relationship with you on their own terms. Synaptic navigation is one way to do this. Another way is through using PURLs (personalized urls). In the world of B2B and B2C, personalized URLs can make a significant impact on your users. We’ll take a look at PURLs in another post.