Why is a website like an iceberg?

As a web designer I have thought many times about how best to explain a website to potential and existing customers. Most of the world (despite the hype) actually doesn't use a computer, and often, those who do, don't know how to do very much on it!

The tangible still outweighs the intangible and the misunderstood, so holding a magazine or a newspaper still has great appeal. Read it wherever you want - no, really wherever you want. Pick it up over breakfast, put it down 10 minutes later, pick it up at tea time. A computer needs to be turned on, booted up, software launched and files and windows (no not MS) opened. No wonder the web site is so misunderstood.

Everyday I meet people who have websites, want websites, make websites, wished they had a website, use websites and talk websites. So what's the best metaphor - an iceberg!? Now don't take this too seriously, remember reading (and a bit of learning) is supposed to be fun.

Well let's give it a go . . .

Icebergs are known for showing just 10% above the sea level. That's the visible bit of a website too in my estimation. It's the bit you see on screen, it looks good, you can see what kind of shape it's in, if it is attractive or not. Colours, shapes, play of light and all the visual things. But beneath it lurks the other 90%.

Cold and dark I guess is how most people would see it. But as the 90% of the iceberg keeps the 10% afloat - in sight - so it is with the website. All the workings of the website are the bits you cannot see. The bulk of the site, the software and the results of the creative mind that designed it so that the 10% you could see did exactly what you needed it to do. Inform, sell, promote, allow.

Every iceberg has it's own shape and character - now that certainly comes well within the iceberg analogy. None are identical to another although they all hover around their own domains in the world. The design of a website dictates how you get around it, from one page to another - it's called (ironically) 'navigation'. Just like an iceberg too, it's much better if you can see it and all it offers in one go, and how you may get from one part to another too. And just like an iceberg you rarely need or want surprises. If you're doing some on line research for a decent plumber at the library do you really want music on his website!? Whether you're in a library or not the answer is more likely to be a 'no'.

Beneath the cool visible bit is the bulk of the site. You won't see it unless you go to quite a bit of trouble and know what to look for and where, you'll just know that if your site has been put together professionally with experience and knowledge, that it is all working. The navigation buttons are taking you where you want to go. The pages scroll when they should and don't when they don't need to. The picture content comes up easily, but probably more importantly because everyone is so short of nano seconds, the picture contents appears quickly.

E commerce makes the 90% even more important, one click takes you to a shopping basket or a checkout, you pay and it's now downloadable or it'll be in the delivery system - and you didn't even leave your home. You just need to know it's there and available. Life made simpler - well most of the time.

Really understanding a website isn't actually necessary for the vast majority of surfers. Leave it to the geeks, we know what we are doing, we keep up with the ever changing rules for search engines, we care about making your site work faster, better and we know about design - it's no good providing information, offers, ideas and promotions if the page looks like it was put together by an enthusiastic amateur. Surfers especially have become more sophisticated viewers used to seeing well designed webpages.

Getting your site found easily is a moving target, Don't think once a website is up there that potential customers will be buying, they won't. Having an unoptimised website is like getting 5,000 leaflets printed and then putting them in a locked cupboard. You still have to use them to promote your product/service/event, get them distributed; hand them out; send them in the post; find where your next customers could be hiding and take the leaflets to them. Now that's where a website is different because believe it or not buyers are actively searching for you. However, if you don't make the searching easy then they will never find you. Register with search engines, optimise your site properly, not with the things you've heard about and think you understand, but with a professional who does it for a living. A website is an on going 'live' medium, it needs up dating every few weeks, it begs updating, improving, developing. Leave it alone at your peril - the Titanic didn't quite see the 90% under the waterline - please make sure you do. The consequences could be disasterous!

Alan Reading runs Custom Marketing Resources providing a full range of maketing services to clients of all types and sizes. He's good with customer care too so if you know nothing about web sites you'll be treated gently! 01622 820841 or e-mail Custom Marketing Resources.