The World Wide Web and its many manifestations have exponentially magnified a company’s ability to tell its story at a relatively negligible cost. The website is any company’s primary port of entry into its online presence. When a person hears about an interesting company the first thing they typically do is seek out its website. And what do they find? Many times it isn’t pretty. The torts and misdemeanors committed on the home pages of business websites are many. They include:

>> Content that is focused on the company rather than the visitor
>> A design that is too busy, disorganized and confusing
>> No sales hooks or call to action
>> No attempt to develop an abiding relationship with visitors by having them subscribe to a newsletter, blog or podcast
>> The home page doesn’t connect visitors to the company’s larger online strategy, such as Social Media sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube
>> There is no design continuity with the company’s other collateral and promotional materials
>> It doesn’t offer prominent and clear navigation links
>> No effort is made to establish a sense of intimacy between the visitor and company

But let’s not dwell on the negative. Let’s take a look at an exemplary website that can serve as a model for our own websites. Open a new tab or second browser window and go to Mint.com. This is the home page for Mint Software, a Mountain View, Calif.-based company. The first thing we notice is the lean, clean design and pleasing color palette. Secondly, is there any doubt what business service these guys have to offer you? Not after reading the prominent banner headline: The best (free) way to manage your money.

Pass your cursor over the “safe and secure” link near the lower right corner of the page and a video screen containing a picture of Mint Software founder and CEO Aaron Patzer appears. It a powerful thing when a CEO speaks on a company’s behalf. During the two-minute video Patzer starts by reassuring potential customers that it’s safe to do business with his company because Mint has “bank-level data security” built into its servers. He goes on to explain the advantages of having all your accounts consolidated in a single place, such as easier fraud detection and alerts.

What else do you see on the Mint home page that reaches out to visitors and tries to create a sense of intimacy, connection or familiarity? Take a look at the prominent navigation links across the top of the page. Four of the five links speak directly to the visitors’ questions, needs and interests.

>> Why use Mint. Pass your cursor over that link and a drop-down menu appears with an extensive list of benefits that answer the question that’s been posed.
>> How we can help. Again, the drop-down menu offers visitor-focused elaboration.
>> Find savings. Is there anybody who doesn’t want to find savings in their budget or investment portfolio?
>> About. The “about” link is always one of the most important on the home page because it leads visitors right to the section that gives them a better understanding of the company. But the beauty of the Mint website is that it gives visitors a plethora of information and clarity about the company right on the home page, before any links are used to drill down.

The fifth link, “Blog,” is the site’s effort to provide a continuing relationship and stream of useful information to its clients and prospects. The links across the bottom of the first screen, those superimposed over the green grass (a nice metaphor for money and growth), give visitors an even stronger embrace. Let’s review them.

>> Understand your money. Ever wonder where your money really goes? Pass your cursor over this link and the home page’s dominant graphic becomes an easy-to-read pie chart showing how the client’s money is being allocated among expenditures like groceries, auto, rent, etc. Simply portrayed data that’s valuable to anyone trying to get their arms around a household budget.
>> All your accounts in one place. A constellation of icons appear representing investments, checking accounts, loans, credit cards and so on. The advantage is spelled out in the adjoining paragraph that says, in part, “Access all your balances and transactions together, on the web or your iPhone.”
>> Easy budgeting tools. Budgeting is the bane of so many, but this link’s bar chart shows how a simple visual can help you get a handle on where you’re spending and how to stay on budget.
>> Find instant savings. Everyone is looking to save money. Mint clearly articulates its service to customers with this statement: “We compare your bank accounts, credit cards, CDs, brokerage and 401(k) to the best products out there. We find our typical user thousands in savings. See what you can save.”
>> Safe and secure. As noted earlier, this link brings up the video of CEO Patzer talking about the high security and advantages Mint provides. Getting your CEO face-to-face with website visitors is one of the best ways to create a sense of intimacy with prospective customers.

The graphics and text that pop-up on every one of these links includes a very prominent orange link that says, “Free! Get started here” – a risk-free call to action at every step. Then again, any company will assure you of its value and integrity. They’re not exactly an objective source. That’s why Mint.com’s decision to include home-page testimonials was a stroke of good thinking. In unobtrusive gray text just below the banner headline are statements that read:

>> “Best budgeting site” Kiplinger’s magazine
>> “Editor’s Choice Award” PC Magazine
>> “Top pick” Money Magazine

Scroll down the home page and you get revolving testimonials from Mint clients, as well as, ‘What the press is saying,” “What’s new at Mint” and “Introducing MintLife,” which is the new name for the company blog. It’s a brilliant, well conceived performance. The layout, design and graphics are excellent, the page speaks directly to its visitors and the text is simple and direct. Mint must be doing something right. The company was acquired by financial powerhouse Intuit during the fourth quarter of 2009 for $170 million.

By: Mike Consol

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Website content

Are you looking for online science education resources to support teaching K-12 science? There are many resources on the internet and it is difficult for teachers to find the time to surf the web looking for online resources. The best option is to visit a one-stop resource for K-12 science educators’ that is an online directory of resources designed for science education. Not only can teachers use a resource like this, it would also be perfect for parents’ home schooling their children.

Inquiry Based Teaching and Learning

If you are looking for K-12 science lesson plans, web resources, and references to support inquiry based teaching and learning, you have probably found this search difficult. Like other web resources it takes time to surf the web and find them. What is needed is a directory of science inquiry based resources categorized into topics that support K-12 science teaching and learning. What is needed is for someone to do this for you.

Directory resources that are most valuable to K-12 science educators include lesson plans, assessment guides, curriculum guides, standards guidelines, search engines for science, and more. Also there is a need for online resources that support all science content areas.

Teaching Science using Technology

There are many types of technology strategies for teaching K-12 science. These include the use of web resources, online simulators, WebQuests, real-time data bases, online interactive websites, and many more options. A website that provides a directory of a wide variety of web based resources is very helpful to K-12 educators.

This type of website would be used to support their teaching strategies. Actively engaging students in learning, instead of being passive learners. You can take students on virtual field trips to places all over the world: zoos, volcanos in other countries, and more.

Additional Resources

Other K-12 online science education resources needed by teachers and parents include access to journals, current science news topics, and online science teaching research books. One particular resource that is needed is a guide for recommended reading books to support science at all grade levels. Reading is stressed even more today to meet state and national education requirements and an online resource would help educators save time trying to find books that meet content standards.

Because of the emphasis on standards and testing today, teachers do want to go to a website that waste their time. All resources need to be pre-screened to ensure that they meet national science standards’ guidelines for teaching science using inquiry based practices. Also, that the technology based resources on the website meets national technology and science standards.

A directory that has updated links is especially important to provide resources. Teachers and parents are tired of going to science directories that are full of dead links. It wastes their time and frustration sets in, because more valuable time has been wasted.

What is needed is an online science education resource website that is specifically designed for K-12 science educators and home schooling parents.

By: David Wetzel

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