What Captain Planet Can Teach Us About Making Websites

Earth

Stay grounded. Think about what you want to achieve and be realistic about what your website can/can't and should/shouldn't do. What is the main purpose of your site? Who is your target audience? People don't visit websites for flashy effects, but for relevant content. Build a strong foundation first and the fancy stuff can come in later.

Fire

Just because your website is grounded doesn't mean it has to be boring. To attract and retain visitors, it must have oomph, flair, spark! Differentiate your site by adding a personal twist or offering something others aren't. Make it interesting enough and it will spread like wildfire.

Wind

Everyone has access to wind and air. Expand your reach by making your website as accessible and easy to navigate as possible. It is cross-browser compatible? Is it mobile friendly? Consider factors such as loading time, screen resolution, JavaScript availability and color limitations, to name a few. It doesn't matter how awesome your website is if people can't see it.

Water

Be "fluid" i.e. adaptive to change. Keep your website up-to-date and flowing with fresh content. Some people think building a website is a one-time thing; after all, there's not much to update when it comes to About or Contact Info. Point taken -- add a News or Blog section then. No need to update it everyday, but don't let it become stagnant either.

Heart

Never underestimate the power of heart. Your passion is what motivated you to create your website in the first place, and it will continue to motivate you to make it better. If your audience can feel how meaningful your work is to you, then your output will become meaningful to them. Nothing produces (quality) traffic more than an emotionally invested audience.


That, dear readers, is what Captain Planet can teach us about making websites. And remember:

Til then,

Mae