Learning About Websites from Walmart

Original Article from IntelliSites, the smart choice for web design (and SEO!)
In terms of selection and price, it's hard to dispute that Walmart has a good thing going. Walmarts, and Super Walmarts in particular, have such a wide selection of merchandise that they carry pretty much everything you might need.

But it's not enough to have everything. Walmart continues to be successful not only because of its prices and products, but also because of its careful organization. In most Walmarts I've visited, I don't have to walk around the whole store to find what I'm looking for. (Well, except that time I was sent on a search for a fondant roller. Long story.)

Thanks to careful store layout planning and plenty of labeling, customers can find what they need without making a day trip of it – which is important to busy shoppers.

Organizing Your Website

If you've got a complicated website with lots of pages and content, congrats. You've got an impressive gold mine that's likely to draw in lots of customers – just like Walmart does. And for those customers who are bored/procrastinating/internet obsessed, it offers plenty to explore.

But for those customers who are busy/multitasking/shopping around, time's at a premium. So making sure that your pages are logically organized makes your website accessible and user friendly for them, too.

When an internet user arrives at your website, he should have no trouble finding what he's looking for because of careful organization and clear labels. Navigation buttons to important pages should be highlighted and drop-down menus should organize the remaining pages.

The Best of Both Worlds

When you have a website rich in content and functionality that is also well-organized, you've got a site that will appeal to everyone. Customers who need to quickly check a price or get a quote can get in and out, while customers who like to browse will have plenty to look at.

It's just like when you go to Walmart. Walmart caters to both types of customers – the Express Line crew and the bargain hunters who stroll through the whole store and collect a cart full of goodies.

And by having both the selection and the organization that appeal to so many, both Walmart and your website can continue to impress both types of customers and bring them what they need.