First impressions count. After all, most users access the home page first before moving on to the Web site. Even when a Google search takes them directly to a subsite, visitors often end up clicking the company logo at some point anyway, which then takes them to the home page. That is why every home page should contain certain elements. Such as the company logo and a claim or greeting that briefly describes what the company does and what sets it apart. As well as the option to contact the company, once as an icon in the header and then with the complete address as a footer at the very bottom of the page. Further information can then be included on the page itself, user teasers, thereby drawing attention to key topics; those, in turn, can be clicked on to access the corresponding subsites.

This space can be used for detailed information, sorted by topic, industry or service. The texts on the subsites should not be very long or written using complicated language. Subheaders and various layouts elements are used to structure the content and help visitors keep an clear overview.

A product page is usually a landing page that provides detailed information about a specific product or service. Thus, the logo must be clearly visible on such pages as well and the product or service must be clearly placed in the forefront. All functions and benefits can then be described in detail on these pages; the pages should also provide contact options. We recommend giving users a “call to action” option for contacting you, such as “Schedule Consultation Now”.

News, press releases and publications can be automatically integrated at various locations on the Web site using feeds. Exactly where messages appear in the feeds on the subsites can be controlled by assigning specific keywords to the message. In addition, a newsroom can be created that provides an overview of all messages, sorted by date. Further options for filtering the lists are available, such as by topic, industry or type of publication. The date, logo, header and first 1-2 sentences of the message are shown on the overview page. Visitors can then click “More” to access the actual message.

Job ads can either be created as PDFs and linked to the Web site or they can be created as a separate subsite. They can also be generated dynamically, allowing them to be incorporated into individual subsites or on the “Careers” page. In addition, functions such as the “Apply Now” button can be used, which forward applicant to an e-mail address or application form. To attract even more applicants to a job ad, ads can also be added to the msg Group career portal (karriere.msg.group). The requirement for this is the cooperation with ZP and the use of the services to enable a transfer to the career portal.

Events can be automatically integrated at various locations on the Web site using feeds. Exactly where events appear in the feeds on the subsites can be controlled by assigning specific keywords to the event. All events are displayed on an overview page, sorted by date. The overview page also includes the date, title, logo and a brief teaser about the event topic. Visitors can then click “More” to access the actual event page. Visitors can use the “Register Now” button to register for an event; the button forwards them to an e-mail address or registration form.

Blogs are a great way to keep the page content current and dynamic. Blogs can be integrated as separate subsites or, for example, a preview of the blog can be integrated into a home page.

Designated groups of users can use the login in section to log in and gain access to closed communities or forums. Forum contributions can be clustered by topic and users can exchange ideas and thoughts. Confidential documents can also be provided for download.