WebPagesThatSuck.com
I just finished reading "The Biggest Web Design Mistakes of 2004" on WebPagesThatSuck.com and I thought it was awesome. What I can't believe is that someone who takes the time to design their own Web site would make these mistakes.
The first mistake that they mention is "Believing people care about you and your web site." This is something that all political candidates should consider. Flanders, the author goes on to explain that an individual goes to a Web site to solve their own problems and web designers should have that in mind.
That is why I believe a candidate's position on the most important issues should be the focus of a candidate's Web site and the focus should not be a fundraising effort. Web sites in political campaigns should first offer the public what they want to hear - that particular candidate's stance on the issues and how those views may differ from their opponent.
For example, if a voter goes to a Web site to learn about a canidate, they will not want the focus of the home page to be "Give me money" instead they will want to first learn the issues. The focus should be "Here is what I stand for." After that voter reads the issues they should be directed ot the fundraising pages. On the flip side, if an voter educated on the issues comes to the Web site with the sole intention to donate money, they may not need to read the background information but will still have the opportunity to and then click on the secondary focus which would be fundraising.
I agree with Flanders and his opinion that a Web site is not about "opening a new marketing channel or getting donations or to promote a brand. No. It's about solving your customers' problems." In this case, I believe it is acceptable to switch the word customer and replace it with voter, and it may not be as much solving a voter's problems, but making the issues more clear.
The first mistake that they mention is "Believing people care about you and your web site." This is something that all political candidates should consider. Flanders, the author goes on to explain that an individual goes to a Web site to solve their own problems and web designers should have that in mind.
That is why I believe a candidate's position on the most important issues should be the focus of a candidate's Web site and the focus should not be a fundraising effort. Web sites in political campaigns should first offer the public what they want to hear - that particular candidate's stance on the issues and how those views may differ from their opponent.
For example, if a voter goes to a Web site to learn about a canidate, they will not want the focus of the home page to be "Give me money" instead they will want to first learn the issues. The focus should be "Here is what I stand for." After that voter reads the issues they should be directed ot the fundraising pages. On the flip side, if an voter educated on the issues comes to the Web site with the sole intention to donate money, they may not need to read the background information but will still have the opportunity to and then click on the secondary focus which would be fundraising.
I agree with Flanders and his opinion that a Web site is not about "opening a new marketing channel or getting donations or to promote a brand. No. It's about solving your customers' problems." In this case, I believe it is acceptable to switch the word customer and replace it with voter, and it may not be as much solving a voter's problems, but making the issues more clear.
