I need some help.

[Cigar_Jack]

I want to do a new feature on my website where once a week I review Cigar Manufacturers' Websites.

I want to rate them on different areas that a website should have. Here are some of the areas I'm going to use to rate them.

Cigar Information: Blends past and present, sizes, history of the cigars, Blend Details. Pictures!

Company Information: What does the website tell you about the company.

Communication: How well are they updating the events or similar section on their website.

Use of Technology: How interactive is the website? Do they over use flash or graphics? Is technology effectively used for its best abilities not just all bling like a hip hop artist.


I'm looking at Cigar Manufacturers here not Vendors.


What categories are areas would you like to see me rate?


At the end of each website review I'll post a list of things I think they need to do to better use the web.

 

[no_substitute]

How easy is the site to navigate? Can my mom use it?
Is there too much content? Not enough?

Some things I would consider including if it were my cigar company site:
- cigar info, of course
- storage suggestions (temp/rh)
- other suggestions - drink pairing suggestions? aging potential? etc
- links to retailers - online and off
- maintained current events (not a list of events from 4 years ago)
- upcoming releases
- sell me lots of swag
- talk to me about your plans for sustainability/environment/pesticides/deforestation/runoffetc
- silly fun stuff - virtual factory tours, premade banners for sigs, fan photos, etc
- community - message board with manuf reps that spend time getting to know their smokers, answer questions, filter and communicate suggestions back to the manuf, run contests, exclusives and promotions, etc etc etc. Make me love your company for more than your cigars. Make me an evangelist for your brand. Make me want to share with my buddies.

All this stuff takes an investment in time and people...more than forking over $800 to your cousin's neighbor's son "web designer" for Home, About Us, Cigars, Contact Us

 

[cvm4]

That looks like a pretty good list Jessie. When I visit a cigar manufacturers website, all I want it to be is easy to navigate and up to date with all of their cigars.

 

[Electric Sheep]

I'll tell ya, what really burns my butt is when a manufacturer's website isn't up-to-date with their product information. Like for example, if they release a cigar but don't have ANY info on their site for months. Ugh, the release is the time that I'm MOST LIKELY going to seek out that sort of info, you know?

So what *I* would really say I value most in a cigar manufacturer's website is ACCURATE, UP-TO-DATE BASIC INFORMATION about all their products. That means:

- Cigar product lines
- Sizes available in those lines
- Tobacco origin, particularly if multiple countries are represented
- Cigar background, especially if there's an interesting story to be told
- Good, high-quality photos of the cigars

As an example, the other day I was looking up the relatively new San Cristobal cigars from Ashton. I found that their site was very informative in all of the above items. THAT is what I like to see in a cigar manufacturer's website!