Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Our company has dozens of Web sites, how can we develop a coherent strategy?

A physical therapist asks, How can I increase the number of hits on my Web site?

Our company has dozens of ‘hobby Web sites’ created by different product groups. How can we develop a coherent Web strategy?

From the Director of E-Commerce Strategies with multinational communications equipment company

We recommend using our Connected Business Strategy approach to create an Opportunity Map as the basis for developing a strategy and reorganizing your sites. See Connected Business Strategy for more information on our methodology.

Start by doing an inventory of all of your Web sites including ones you know about and ones that you may discover by searching the Web. Use this information as input to a high level 4A Analysis:

	Define Audiences and Applications for each of the existing Web sites.
	Identify the Assets behind these sites and the Attention captured by each site.
	Create an Opportunity Map that can be used to prioritize changes.

The redesign of the Web site(s) will probably include:

	Creating simplified navigation paths for users. Users should not need to know how your organization is structured in order to find the right areas on your Web site. Give users the ability to locate information by product name, application, model number, or other classification scheme.
	Creating separate entry points for groups of users with very different needs. For example, communications equipment vendors may be supporting Consumers, Service Technicians, and Carrier Personnel.
	Evolving towards standard Web page designs for consistent look and feel.
	Providing Site Map and Search capabilities over all the pages.

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How can I increase the number of hits on my Web site?

From a physical therapist in Washington DC

Since physical therapy is an in-person service business drawing customers from a limited geographic area, you may be asking the wrong question. Instead of increasing the total number of Web visits—which may be coming from anywhere in the world—you should focus on increasing visibility to potential clients and sources of client referrals within your geographic service area which may include Washington DC and the surrounding suburbs.

Analyze your target markets and compare them to the demographics of Web users. For some market segments you may have to take an indirect approach. For example, you may not be able to reach senior citizens directly but you can reach their children and the health professionals who are the decision-makers.

Help search engines and clients find your site by:

	Putting more descriptive detail in the Title of your Web site. Instead of just "Jane Doe PT" use "Jane Doe PT physical therapy serving the greater Washington area".
	Adding a list of keywords to help search engines classify your site under multiple categories including subject classifications and geographic locations. Put the list in the HTML at the beginning of your home page (in between the <head> and </head> tags) using the syntax shown in the example below:

<META name="keywords" CONTENT="physical therapy, physical therapist, physical therapists, athletic injuries, shoulder, knee, aquatic therapy, dance medicine, Washington, DC, District of Columbia, Silver Spring, Bethesda, suburban Maryland">

Adding your URL to the top search engines on the Web by completing a submission form on each site or using a program or service (see for example, Submit-It submitit.linkexchange.com) that does this for you. Your Web hosting company may provide this service.

Promote your business and your site by:

	Links and ads targeting physicians, allied health professionals, and office personnel that make patient referrals.
	Including the URL in your ads, Yellow Pages ad, and other directory listings.
	Listing in online directories serving your geographic area. For example, CitySearch, Zip2, etc.
	Linking your site with other health related Web sites. For example, the Web site for the national physical therapy association, county health information directory, etc.
	Links and ads to reach potential clients in senior centers, amateur sports leagues, injury prone professions, etc.

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