How Search Fits Into The Web Site Design Process

I've been in search and online marketing for many years, and I've learned that while some messages may seem old and familiar (or at least well-worn), they may still be new to others who are guiding the enterprise Web site development and creation process.

I was recently going through a discovery process with a Fortune 500 executive who was guiding his company's Web site redesign, and I inquired directly about the search aspects of the project. His response: "Search is not relevant to this process." Contrary to what he was saying, search was in fact critical to the overall process; he was just clearly unaware of his company's campaign history and investment in the search channel. In light of this response, seemingly old and worn advice is worth another spin or two around the block, especially if it will help convey the natural search value of a legacy Web presence.

In enterprise marketing, it is not a question of whether your company's site is going to be redesigned or not, it is simply a question of when. Most companies do some kind of major redesign or tweak every two years, and if they haven't just relaunched, they are planning for the next one. So the "when" is most often "now," no matter where you are in the process. The important thing to remember here is that search should be a key consideration at every stage of the process, whether it is selecting a provider, setting requirements, producing comps, coding or site deployment.

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