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Identify Audience
As with any other marketing planning process, the single most important planning consideration is your audience. Therefore, identifying your audience is a crucial step. Think about what your audiences really want to know about your organization or programs. Place yourself in the mindset of your audience - understand who they are, how they think, and what Web content will encourage them to participate in your programs. What do you need to know about your audience to tailor the Web site towards their needs? Does your current audience have the technology to view your Web page? Do your market segments have Internet access? Will these segments use the Web site to gain information about your organization? What factors outside the organization will influence the development of the Web site? Competitors are good sources of influence as to what works and what does not.If you do not know the answers, a little market research may be necessary. Market research is the process of asking questions or finding existing information about the market, your competition, and potential prospects. You can use surveys or focus groups to investigate. Once you have the data, you can proceed to analyze it. Market research can save your organization money and time in the long term and will ensure that your actions will reinforce the mission of your organization.