The secret goal of each page

Published about 1 month ago • 1 min read

A cartoon of a customer approaching a product page.

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to building and maintaining a website. One way I reduce overwhelm is asking myself: What is the goal of this specific page? (And it should be ONE goal per page. Minus a couple exceptions.)

For example: The product page’s goal is to get the customer to Add to Cart.

Or at least... That’s your goal. Your customer’s goal is different. They’re using your product page to determine if your product is the one they want to buy. To achieve your goal, you have to help your customer’s achieve theirs.

This means the goal has evolved into: Convince the customer that your product meets their needs. (And don't feel bad about this, because your product should! You believe in your craft and the joy it could bring to your customers.)

Every question about design should be based on that goal. For example:

Are your photos clear? Are you showing the right photos?
Is your description adequate? Do you give them information such as sizing, weight, or care methods? What other information would be helpful?
Are you obviously trustworthy? Is your site set up with security certificates? Have you fixed any broken links?

Answering questions like these make it clearer how you need to build each page to serve your customers.

Thanks for reading today! Sam wants to know what you're updating today to address a customer need:

An extreme close up of an orange cat. His nose is large and out of focus. — Or if you have any games on your phone.

Have a great day!
Ed

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