When we started in business in New York's Hudson Valley over 34 years ago, things were very different.. There was no Internet, at least not anything remotely like what we have today. There were no websites. There was no e-mail. What we had in Dutchess County was an incredibly difficult industry demanding mechanical precision, photographic excellence, artistic talent and innovative design. Based in Poughkeepsie, New York, every step of every process was exorbitantly expensive to produce and required many experts at every level to assure a successful outcome.

Today, we have cyberspace where anyone can do anything for practically nothing.

If you believe that, you are probably like most people. While the Internet has paved the way for many success stories, as some would prefer to believe, luck does not usually play a significant role. Knowledge and talent are still necessary but on a much larger scale, since the stage is now worldwide.

An effective website is very much like an effective ad or brochure. It needs to have substance to keep you interested. It needs to delight you with technically sophisticated special effects, please you with innovative graphics, colors and design while providing you with intelligent, organized valuable content that keeps you reading and thirsting for more.

Whether the most complicated technical flourishes serve to enhance effectiveness or simply annoy the viewer by delaying delivery is greatly dependent on the speed of your Internet connection and the taste and empathy of the designer who is controlling your website experience.

What are the drawbacks of certain kinds of websites?

What complicates having a website is that not everyone will be able to view it in the same way, if at all. Since we are all dependent on what type of Internet platform we operate from, how fast our connection allows us to receive information and how advanced our computer equipment, browser and plug-ins are, the website experience can be limited by our differences. Frustrating to some, fabulous to others: that is the present state of website access. It is up to the savvy of the website designer and technical expert to circumvent such limitations by presenting a web experience that can be enjoyable to all. That sometimes means preparing alternate sets of web pages in certain situations where a viewer will automatically be directed if their system lacks the necessary components to receive sophisticated technology. However, it is encouraging to remember that as each year passes, better and more affordable Internet connections are available to more people making this problem one of diminishing insurmountability.

What determines website success?

There are several components which contribute to website success: visual appeal, value and extent of content, ease of use and ability to elicit a response. Unlike an ad, a website is not just a brief presentation to whet your appetite for more information. A website is where the ad sends you to get the whole story, complete with every detail anyone could ever wonder about. This encompasses both photos or illustrations and descriptions of every product or service offered including features and benefits; history and profiles of business and its personnel; testimonials from customers or clients if available; directions to locations if pertinent; detailed contact information, as well as a way to easily email appropriate representatives. Some websites also include pricing and a way to order which is referred to as E-commerce.

What influences website traffic?

Besides all the thrills and frills which delight viewers of your website, its basic composition is greatly responsible for attracting traffic and satisfying visitors with content that provides fulfillment to their search for answers. This is an area referred to as search engine optimization.

Above: A 94-year-old law firm with fourteen partners, counsel and associates
chose Mid-Hudson Marketing to create their conservative, yet
extremely tasteful web presence which included extensive text,
beautiful visuals and state-of-the-art functionality.