Always play your trumps. That's what my dear old Aunty used to say. "How the hell do you expect to win if you lead off suit?" Words usually followed by a sharp kick under the table to remind you not to do it again.

Sure she was talking about Eucre but she could well have been commenting on web sites. The logic is the same. If you don't play to your strengths you won't take many tricks. Why is it then that this principle is overlooked so often on the web?

It is amazing, (or frightening if you are the one writing the cheques), how many web sites conceal their most useful content. Spending more time on animated flash intros and e-prefixing mission statements than thinking about how and why people are going to be using their site. Unfortunately not all companies have a vigilant Aunty to keep recalcitrant webmasters in line.

The web at the moment is a bit like when you first buy an answering machine. No one leaves a message until you realise that the Richie Benaud impression your mates thought was so funny down at the pub, is actually irritating people who just want you to ring them back. Think functionality. Why did you get a web site in the first place? Remember it is a tool not a canvass.

Don't hide your content. Placing a web site's marquee content several clicks deep is the equivalent of placing a direct marketing flyer inside three envelopes and then hiding it in the bush next to the mailbox. Just plain dumb.

Visibility is the key. The reality is that on average half the visitors to your web site will not progress past the home page. The back button is the most commonly used navigation aid for web surfers. This means that unless your key content is up front and exposed the chances are that it will be missed or passed over for an alternative. This is not rocket science. This is basic marketing.

There is a commonly quoted rule of thumb within web development that any item should be no more than three clicks away from any other item on a web site. This should be considered a maximum not the norm. Especially regarding navigation from the first point of entry. Content should be up front and obvious. Even if it's only a tease of what's available inside. Porn sites have been doing that for years, and let's face it they're the only ones making money from pure content on the web anymore.

If you've got a good deal going, put it on the home page not tucked away in your product catalogue. If you have a member's area let everyone else know what they're missing out on.

Don't be afraid of the telephone. Web users are becoming increasingly savvy and selective about the way they use the Internet. The web is a tool to obtain information, not a means of being funneled through predetermined pathways.

Fast track them to your sales team not insult their intelligence by using some feedback form addressed to info@lazycompany.com. Some businesses spend more on a bold Yellow Pages ad than they do on their whole Internet strategy, yet still leave phone numbers off their web sites.

The Internet is a flawed medium. But then so are telephones, television and the press. The key is in recognising what it does well and what it does not. It is unlikely to deliver untold riches but it may shave a few dollars off your information delivery costs, or help compliment your latest marketing campaign, or become a mouthpiece for corporate announcements. But don't forget the best thing that your site can do is to is direct potential customers to your sales team.

Although e-commerce is now about as popular as e-coli and your sports car driving web consultant is now serving lattes on Chapel Street, it should be remembered that a web site is only as good as the use that is made of it. If it remains idle and static it might as well be a museum piece. It is a tool not a gravy train. Your customers may not like to purchase online, but if used correctly the web site can still be an invaluable sales tool.

About the Author
Tim Giles is a Pre-Marketing Consultant for Enedia (www.enedia.com). Enedia's client's include Ansearch (www.ansearch.com.au), an Australian search engine and directory.