Setting Website Objectives: 'Looking Cool' Is Not a Goal

This section reveals typical failure patterns in website development projects due to vague objective setting and the structure of subsequent additional cost generation.

"Please create a stylish, modern-looking site" or "Something like our competitor's website"—these are common requests heard when ordering from web development companies. However, over 80% of projects that begin with such vague requirements end up significantly exceeding their initial budgets, with completed sites falling short of expected results.

Let's examine an actual failure case. Manufacturing company A decided to renew their corporate website for their 20th anniversary. The order requirements were abstract: "a modern, professional-looking site." The development company presented multiple design proposals, and A company's management chose the design they found most "cool."

Three months after development began, problems surfaced. Near completion, A company's sales department raised numerous concerns: "Product features are unclear," "The inquiry form is hard to find," and "Recruitment information isn't prominent." These modifications required an additional 800,000 yen and two months, bringing the final development cost to 2.3 million yen against the initial budget of 1.5 million yen.

More seriously, the post-completion results were disappointing. Compared to before the renewal, site-generated inquiries decreased from 15 to 8 per month, and recruitment applications dropped from 5 to 2 per month. While they achieved a "cool site," they gained no meaningful business results.

The structural problem causing such cases is that website objective setting becomes biased toward "visual impression" while "specific business outcomes" are neglected. Design quality is subjective and tends to prioritize management preferences. Meanwhile, functional design directly linked to actual business results like inquiry generation and recruitment applications gets pushed aside.

Development companies, when unable to extract clear objectives from clients, tend to focus on visual satisfaction as a fallback. Consequently, they spend extensive time on design comps while strategic work like user flow design and competitive analysis gets neglected.

Typical patterns for additional cost generation include: First, when content creation begins after design confirmation, mismatches between expected text volume and design emerge. Second, when applying actual product information and service details, navigation structure revisions become necessary. Finally, requests from various internal departments lead to feature additions and structural changes.

These problems can be prevented by clarifying website objectives before development begins and defining specific success metrics. The next section analyzes why clients tend to avoid objective setting and the background factors involved.

This section explains the organizational issues behind the difficulty of objective setting in website development and the structure of insufficient proposals from development companies.

Many clients avoid specific objective setting due to structural organizational issues. The biggest factor is the separation between website development project managers and the field departments that will actually utilize the site.

In small and medium enterprises, website development is often handled by general affairs or administrative departments. Meanwhile, the sales department expects customer acquisition through the site, the HR department seeks increased recruitment applications, and management emphasizes branding effects—each department has different expected outcomes. Project managers must coordinate various departmental requests, but they feel the risk of being held accountable later if specific numerical targets are set, leading them to escape into vague expressions.

Setting a specific goal like "acquiring 30 monthly inquiries" could be viewed as project failure if not achieved. Conversely, an abstract goal like "brand image improvement" makes success difficult to judge, allowing responsibility avoidance. This psychological risk avoidance leads to vague objective setting.

Additionally, many clients lack knowledge of standards and methods for considering what purpose their website should serve. While they may have vague hopes for sales improvement, they lack knowledge of how to translate this into specific website functions and structure. Without industry standards or benchmarks like "For a company with 100 million yen monthly revenue, what's an appropriate monthly inquiry target through the site?", realistic goal setting becomes impossible.

Development companies also bear responsibility. Many development companies haven't systematized hearing techniques and proposal methods for extracting clear objectives from clients. Particularly in small development companies where designers or engineers also handle sales directly, skills for proposing site design from a business strategy perspective are lacking.

Furthermore, to increase order probability, development companies tend to easily answer "yes" to client requests. When faced with requests for "cool sites," they fear creating awkward atmospheres by deep-diving with questions like "What business results do you expect?" Consequently, they accept surface-level requests as-is, leading to repeated patterns of problems emerging later.

Industry-wide customs also play a role. Web development quotes and proposals are often structured around work items like "top page design," "sub-page design," and "coding." Conversely, outcome-based proposals for "inquiry acquisition," "recruitment application increase," and "branding enhancement" are rare. While clients can compare work content, judging whether expected outcomes will be achieved becomes difficult.

Time pressures also hinder objective setting. Schedule constraints like "We need the site completed by next month's exhibition" or "We need to use up the budget by fiscal year-end" leave no time for thorough objective consideration. Development companies also prioritize short-term orders, skipping strategic consideration phases.

Understanding these background factors, the next section presents specific procedures for effective objective setting that clients can implement.

This section explains step-by-step methods from specific KPI setting to implementation in development requirements in a practically usable format.

Effective website objective setting can be achieved by systematically progressing through five stages. Each stage creates specific outputs that serve as input for the next stage.

Stage 1: Current Situation Assessment and Problem Clarification

First, numerically assess your company's current customer acquisition status. If an existing website exists, use Google Analytics to check monthly access numbers, inquiry counts, and key page viewing patterns. Without a site, organize current new customer acquisition methods, their frequency, and costs.

For example, manufacturing company B with annual revenue of 200 million yen had the following monthly new customer acquisition:

• Referrals from existing customers: 5 cases (acquisition cost: 80,000 yen per case including entertainment expenses)
• Business card exchanges at exhibitions: 20 cases (acquisition cost: 120,000 yen per case including exhibition fees)
• Current site-generated: 2 cases (content is outdated and barely functional)

This current situation analysis reveals the validity of the goal: "If we could acquire 10 monthly inquiries through the website, exhibition costs could be significantly reduced."

Stage 2: Setting Specific Numerical Targets

Set realistic numerical targets considering industry standards and your company's business scale. The key is balancing achievability with business impact.

Company B set the following targets:

• 6 months later: 5 monthly site-generated inquiries
• 12 months later: 10 monthly site-generated inquiries
• 24 months later: 15 monthly site-generated inquiries

The rationale for these targets was competitor benchmarks and the processing capacity of their current sales resources. Beyond 15 monthly inquiries, their current sales structure would struggle to respond, so an upper limit was set.

Stage 3: Specific Target Customer Definition

Specifically define the attributes of customers who will make inquiries. This determines site content structure and design direction.

Company B established the following target setting:

• Primary target: Production technology staff at manufacturing companies with 50-200 employees
• Age: 30-45 years old
• Information gathering behavior: Google searches for "XX processing outsourcing," "XX parts manufacturing," etc.
• Decision process: Staff select about 3 companies and propose to department/section managers

This specification clarifies site requirements like "specialized but understandable technical explanations," "abundant case study displays," and "simple quote request forms."

Stage 4: Designing User Actions Leading to Results

Design behavior patterns for website visitors to actually reach inquiry stage. Organize this as a customer journey map.

For Company B:

1. Google search inflow via technical keywords
2. Check available processing content on service overview page
3. Confirm similar industry achievements on case study page
4. Verify credibility on company overview page
5. Submit quote request through inquiry form

Based on this process, clarify each page's role and necessary information. Rather than simply "cool design," "information design that makes users want to proceed to the next step" is crucial.

Stage 5: Measurement Methods and Improvement Cycle Design

Pre-design systems for continuously confirming goal achievement and making improvements. Even with appropriate website objective setting, results cannot be achieved without operational adjustments.

Example measurement items:

• Monthly access numbers (target: 5,000 sessions)
• Reach rate to inquiry page (target: 5%)
• Inquiry form completion rate (target: 20%)
• Final inquiry count (target: 10/month)

Implement improvement cycles every three months, confirming numerical trends and making necessary adjustments. For example, if access numbers are sufficient but inquiry reach rates are low, review site navigation. If users reach inquiry pages but completion rates are low, improve form item numbers and input methods.

Such systematic objective setting dramatically clarifies requirement sharing with development companies. The next section explains methods for confirming goal understanding when selecting development companies.

This section presents standards for evaluating goal understanding and specificity of implementation methods that should be emphasized in development company proposal evaluation.

Many clients tend to focus on design samples, technical capabilities, and pricing when selecting development companies, but the most important factors are understanding of set objectives and specificity of implementation methods. Excellent development companies provide strategic proposals for achieving the numerical targets set by clients.

Goal Understanding Checkpoints in Proposals

First, confirm whether proposals clearly state the numerical targets set by clients. It's crucial that development companies make proposals based on goals like "acquiring 10 monthly inquiries."

Example from excellent development company C: "To achieve the goal of 10 monthly inquiries, analysis of similar companies suggests we need approximately 5,000 monthly sessions. For SEO optimization, we'll target top-10 search results for 30 keywords including 'precision processing' and 'metal parts manufacturing' that target customers search for."

Conversely, inappropriate development company D's proposal: "Through modern, sophisticated design, we'll enhance corporate branding. Using cutting-edge technology for clear site structure will create positive impressions for visitors."

Company C shows specific numbers and achievement methods, while Company D uses only abstract expressions. The difference in understanding client goals is clear.

Confirming User Flow Design Specificity

Confirm whether development companies understand set target customer behavior patterns and propose site structure based on them. Rather than simple page lists, they should show how users navigate within the site and ultimately reach inquiries.

Appropriate proposals present specific flow designs like: "Since 70% of search inflow users first access service detail pages, we'll place three navigation paths: 'Customer Cases,' 'Technical Specification Downloads,' and 'Free Consultation Applications.' Users who check cases tend to proceed to inquiry forms after viewing an average of 2.3 pages, so we'll strengthen the path from case pages to inquiry pages."

Depth of Competitive Analysis and Uniqueness

It's important whether development companies analyze competitor websites in the client's industry and clearly show differentiation points. Development companies without industry understanding can only provide generic proposals.

For manufacturing industry sites, for example: "Competitor A's site has rich technical information but complex inquiry navigation. Competitor B has clear inquiry forms but insufficient technical credibility appeals. Our proposal balances technical capability proof (equipment, processing precision data) with simple inquiry processes."

Such specific differentiation strategies should be presented.

Attitude Toward Post-Development Effectiveness Measurement

For projects with clear website purposes, post-development effectiveness measurement is also important. Confirm development companies' attitudes toward post-completion numerical management and improvement proposals.

"We'll provide monthly access analysis reports for 3 months after site launch with improvement proposals for goal achievement. If inquiry numbers don't reach 50% of targets, we'll implement site modifications at no charge."

Development companies making such proposals take responsibility for their work and commit to client business results.

Industry Understanding in Project Structure

Confirm whether the development team includes members with industry knowledge or allocates sufficient time for industry research.

"A director with 5 development projects in your industry will serve as project leader. Additionally, we'll conduct interviews with sales representatives from 3 of your competitors before development begins to deepen customer needs understanding."

When such specific industry understanding efforts are shown, appropriate site design can be expected.

These confirmation points enable selection of development companies capable of creating sites that generate actual business results, not just visual appeal. The next section explains building systems for continuous effectiveness verification after development completion.

This section explains specific methods for constructing effectiveness measurement systems after website development completion and operating sustainable improvement cycles.

Many clients consider website completion as the project goal, but actual results are determined in the post-launch operational phase. To achieve set objectives and continuously improve business results, systematic verification and improvement mechanisms are essential.

Constructing Effectiveness Measurement Systems

First, clearly designate internal effectiveness measurement managers and review frequencies. In many companies, this role remains ambiguous when operations begin, leading to nobody checking numbers after several months.

Effective system example:

• Measurement manager: Sales manager (practical manager of inquiry responses)
• Review frequency: Report previous month's results on the first business day of each month
• Improvement decisions: Consider improvement measures after 3 consecutive months of missing targets
• Budget allocation: Reserve 1% of annual sales for continuous improvement

Prepare measurement tools in advance. Google Analytics is free and sufficient for basic numerical understanding. For more detailed analysis, introduce analysis tools costing about 10,000 yen monthly. The key isn't using high-function tools but establishing habits of continuous numerical confirmation.

Operating Staged Improvement Cycles

Effective improvement begins with identifying problem areas. Systematically analyze which stages create bottlenecks against set numerical targets.

For example, when actual results are 3 cases against a goal of 10 monthly inquiries:

Stage 1 Check: Access Numbers

• Target: 5,000 monthly sessions
• Actual: 1,500 monthly sessions → Need increased inflow through SEO optimization or web advertising

Stage 2 Check: Site Navigation Rate

• Target: Average 2.5 page views
• Actual: Average 1.2 page views → Need content enhancement or internal link improvements

Stage 3 Check: Inquiry Page Reach Rate

• Target: 5% of all sessions
• Actual: 2% of all sessions → Need site navigation review

This systematic analysis enables efficient improvement measure identification. Attempting simultaneous improvements makes it impossible to determine which measures were effective.

Prioritizing Specific Improvement Measures

Prioritize improvement measures on two axes: magnitude of effect and ease of implementation. Start with measures that can be implemented quickly with high impact.

High-impact, short-term implementable measures:

• Reducing inquiry form input items (implementable in 2 weeks)
• Adding inquiry buttons to key pages (implementable in 1 week)
• Placing phone numbers in visible locations (implementable in 1 week)

Medium-impact, medium-term implementation measures:

• Creating additional case study content (1-2 months)
• Producing service introduction videos (2-3 months)
• Expanding FAQ pages (1 month)

Long-term, large-scale improvement measures:

• Complete site renewal (6-12 months)
• New feature development (3-6 months)

Collaboration Systems with External Specialists

Continuous improvement often requires specialized knowledge. Since internal resources have limitations, establish collaboration systems with external specialists as needed.

Example collaboration patterns:

• Monthly regular consulting: 50,000-100,000 yen monthly
• Spot requests for improvement measure implementation: 200,000-500,000 yen per project
• Including improvement proposals in development company maintenance contracts: 30,000-50,000 yen monthly

The key is establishing consultation systems in advance rather than frantically searching for specialists after problems arise.

Horizontal Application of Success Cases

When successful results are achieved through websites, apply those methods to other marketing activities. For example, use effective customer case presentations from sites in sales materials and exhibition panels. Apply effective catchphrases to brochures as well.

Such horizontal application further improves website development ROI. This leads to overall business marketing capability improvement, not just website enhancement.

Through continuous verification and improvement, websites become important business growth assets. The key to success is clients actively participating in operations, aiming for "profitable sites" rather than "cool sites."

This section presents specific action items that clients should implement immediately to ensure definitive results from website development.

First, for current or planned website development projects, check if you can clearly answer these three questions: "How many inquiries do you want this site to generate monthly?" "How many people need to visit the site monthly to achieve that?" "How will you confirm if that goal is met after 6 months?"

If you cannot provide specific numerical answers, pause development and reconsider objective setting. Transform the desire for a "cool site" into specific goals like "We need a trustworthy, understandable site to acquire 30 monthly inquiries."

In meetings with development companies, prioritize numerical goal discussions over design conversations. Excellent development companies make proposals committed to business results. Companies that only propose visual solutions cannot build good long-term relationships.

Finally, reserve about 20% of development costs for post-completion effectiveness measurement and improvement. Websites are only 60% complete at launch and generate true results through operational improvements. Achieving set goals is difficult without continuous investment.