With the proliferation of the Internet and increasing demands for professional expertise in Web site designing, consultants across the globe face a similar challenge and opportunity to evolve parameters that stand out in the creation of a site. This becomes all the more important as the Web is getting crowded with thousands of sites and companies are trying to increase their reach on the WWW. In this context, internationalInternet consultant Jim Sterne of Santa Barbara-based Target Marketing (http://www.targeting.com) has come up with the 5Cs for Web site designing: Cool, Content, Context, Contact and Control.

Sterne has been in high-tech sales and marketing for 15 years and has always been interested in the application of new technologies. He produced the world's first series of `Marketing on the Internet' seminars in mid-1994 and is a well-known international speaker on the future of electronic marketing and customer knowledge management. He provides Internet marketing and customer service strategy consultancy to Fortune 500 companies. His widely acclaimed book, World Wide Web Marketing, and its follow-up, Customer Service on the Internet, has been joined by his latest work, What Makes People Click: Advertising on the Internet.

On a recent visit to India for India Internet World '98, Sterne spoke about the 5Cs, the challenges of Web site designing and the reach of the Net. Excerpts from an interview with ShelleySingh:

What exactly are the 5Cs of Web site designing? What do they signify?

Cool, Content, Context, Contact and Control are the 5Cs that are essential for Web site designing. It is important for a designer to look into the 5Cs if the site wishes to draw repeat visitors. A good site will have a movable interface and not exist in virtual reality. It has to be Cool to be able to successfully translate the personality of the company on the Web. Content is king. The site should have real content to draw the attention of the people. Very often, sites are put up without any content and when you go there, what you get is a construction, coming soon or closed for renovation sign. I beg people not to do that as it is bad for branding. On the flip side, even a lot of content can be unattractive. The idea is that you should not clutter your site.

If a site is cool and has content, but you can't find what you want, then it lacks Context. The site should have relevance and the right Context. You can use apop-up menu to take a surfer to the right place and hence get the context right. For instance, sometime back, if you went to the HP site and looked for printers, you could be led to hundreds of varieties. Imagine the time and trouble of scanning all of them before you click the right one. Of late, they have improved a lot and do sell printers over the Web pretty efficiently.

An essential part of the Web site is an interaction with the customer -- that is Contact. You should provide adequate place for customer feedback and comments. Many sites have unclear contact, and often, they do not allow e-mail response. For instance, Volvo never seems to get it correct. They do tell you how much they value your interest in them, but completely lack in customer response on the Web. It must be emphasised that customer response is essential to not only interact with people, but also to know how you are doing and how you can improve.

Control of site is a recognition that we are moving into a time when customers arebecoming more demanding. You should control the site with regular updates and provide information relevant to the target audience.

Are the five Cs of Web site designing exhaustive or can there be more parameters?

The five Cs are not exhaustive, but at the same time, there is not a single site that answers all the five Cs. It basically signifies that you understand that your Website is not a brochure. It is a software you are creating for people and the easier it is to fathom, the better it will be.

What do you think are the critical issues facing Web site designing?

Ease of use, the speed of download and feedback from customers. In an ideal situation, the download should be at the speed of light. This is important as people do not want to wait too long and if the site is not easily accessible, your customers will move on.

How can a site really stand out with the Web getting overcrowded?

It depends on the purpose of your site. If you want to be the focus of attention, you mustsupplement a good site with adequate advertising at strategic positions, like search engines. The purpose of the site may be to describe a product and unless it does it efficiently, it is unlikely to get repeat clicks.

Are graphics and banners the only ways of making sites attractive?

Sites should be useful and that does not mean that they have to be loud and exhibit themselves needlessly with graphics and banners. It should basically help people with what they are looking for. You need a good design that is pleasing and simple. And believe me, making it simple and user-friendly is more difficult than putting banners or graphics. For example, yahoo.com is a good site with relevant information minus all the frills.

For sites into retailing and e-business, what are the critical issues?

These should be easy to use. It should be easy and convenient to find the product that you are looking for. It should simplify the process of selecting and buying products. For instance, if you click onamazon.com for the first time, the whole process might be painful and they ask for a lot of information. But the next time you visit it, they will know what you want and simplify the whole procedure.

People always tend to click on the more famous brandname and products. How beneficial can the Web be for relatively little known products and brand names?

As in conventional marketing, brand equity counts a lot even on the Web. For those products that do not have a brand equity, you have to offer something else, like lower prices.

What are your hobbies and how long have you been in Internet marketing?

I love travelling. I have been doing Net marketing and public speaking for the last four years. I am fascinated by what is possible on the Internet rather than how it works.