At Wekihost, we have a wealth of experience in developing websites and digital strategies for clients of all sizes. We understand the extensive effort that goes into each project. While every project has its own unique challenges and characteristics, creating an enterprise website is an exceptionally complex process that necessitates careful planning and strategy from the outset.
Enterprise websites can often consist of thousands of pages of content or even hundreds of separate microsites. Overhauling the design and information architecture of such sites can quickly become overwhelming. Building an enterprise site from scratch is equally challenging, requiring foresight to anticipate a wide range of potential scenarios and use cases.
Our extensive work with enterprise clients over the years has provided us with valuable insights into what works and what doesn’t when it comes to designing digital experiences at this level. Here, we share some strategies that can make a significant difference.
Unwavering User Focus:
When undertaking a redesign or building a brand-new website, it’s common for companies to prioritize the story they want to tell over delivering the information their users actually need. While the website serves as the online face of your company, its purpose goes beyond aesthetics. The primary goal of the website is to serve your users. Every decision regarding the website should be based on whether it will ultimately benefit the users. This principle should be consistently revisited throughout the planning and strategy phases to ensure that the user’s expectations are exceeded, their experience is enhanced, and they leave the site with a positive impression of your company.
Understanding User Personas and Internal Stakeholders:
To maintain an unwavering focus on users, it’s essential to first understand your diverse user audience, which may span different regions, roles, and tasks. While you may not be able to address all of them effectively, you can identify and prioritize the most significant user segments to design the site to meet their needs. Additionally, internal stakeholders from various departments play a vital role in determining site architecture and design direction. Different departments provide valuable insights into what customers want and need from the site. Recognizing these differences allows for a more comprehensive understanding of where the greatest opportunities lie.
Content Breadth, Depth, and Layout:
At the enterprise level, content requirements are usually complex. As discussed earlier, multiple distinct user groups need tailored content flows. Striking a balance between breadth and depth is crucial when determining what content to provide. Content that is too broad lacks focus, while overly narrow strategies risk alienating users with different questions and needs. It’s also essential to present content effectively to users. Given the decreasing online attention span, design content layouts that facilitate easy skimming and highlight key takeaways.
Mobile Prioritization:
Mobile usability is as critical, if not more so, than desktop usability for the user. It’s also essential for your brand’s visibility in search results. Poor mobile usability may convey that the brand doesn’t care about the user experience or is stuck in a time when desktop was the primary focus. Both assumptions can erode user trust, reduce site conversions, and harm your brand’s image.
While designing mobile experiences, especially for existing desktop experiences, can be complex at the enterprise level, prioritizing mobile is essential. It not only keeps users satisfied but also positively impacts sales, whether in B2B or B2C contexts.
Building Superior Enterprise Experiences: Designing effective digital experiences for enterprise-level projects may present unique challenges in terms of scale and complexity. However, with strategic planning and a well-executed process, achieving this goal is entirely feasible. By prioritizing the user’s needs, regularly assessing what will enhance the experience in terms of speed, efficiency, and satisfaction, you can ensure that, regardless of the project’s scale, you’ll create a digital experience that engages and delights users.
