The problem: Why most website projects fail
Many website projects still follow the same pattern: A company notices that the website looks outdated or no longer complies with current brand guidelines. A redesign project is started, an agency is commissioned, a new design is designed and developed — and after the launch, the topic is checked off for the next two to three years.
At first glance, this process appears efficient. There is a clear starting point, a defined budget, a launch date and then it's “back to day-to-day business.” But this is exactly where the mistake of thinking lies: A website is not a poster that you hang up once and then leave alone. It is a dynamic part of the corporate strategy that receives new visitors every day, creates new touchpoints and creates new opportunities — or even hurdles.
We see this again and again when companies approach us for the first time. There are often no clear goals as to what the website should actually achieve. Instead, we hear vague phrases such as “should look modern” or “should generate more leads.” But what does that mean in practice? How many leads should there be? With which quality? Until when? Without a precise definition of goals, it remains unclear how to measure success in the first place.
Even more problematic is that most websites are simply left to their own devices after launch. There is no regular monitoring of success, no iterations, no testing. The website remains unchanged until it looks “outdated” again after a few years — and the cycle starts all over again. During this time, the company is missing out on countless optimization opportunities: better conversion rates, more qualified applications, more efficient customer journeys.
And finally, we see that many companies are trying to build a “perfect” website right away. They start with a huge scope, countless sub-pages, complex features — without ever testing a hypothesis or getting user feedback. This leads to high costs, long project runtimes and the risk of ending up with a beautiful but strategically ineffective website.
Our solution: The Website as a Product Framework
To solve exactly these problems, we at Klarkode have developed the Website as a Product Framework. It is not a classic project plan, but a strategic thinking model that helps companies treat their website as a living product — i.e. like a system that is continuously measured, improved and adapted to changing market or user needs.
In essence, it is about a paradigm shift: away from “we launch a website and are done” to “we develop a website as a product that evolves with our company.”
In the following chapters, we have summarized the most important phases of the framework.
Defining goals — the starting point for everything
Every successful product development starts with the question: What do we want to achieve? This is exactly how every website project must start. Together with the customer, we define specific, measurable goals. We use archetype categorization to understand which main function the website should fulfill:
Should it primarily generate leads? Attract new talent? Validate market interest because a new product is being tested? Or is it primarily used to increase reach and visibility?
Only when this purpose is clear do we formulate concrete SMART goals — i.e. specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely. Instead of “more leads,” it says, for example:
“We want to increase the number of qualified demo requests by 40% within six months. ”
Such goals are not only much more precise, they also make it possible to verify in the further process whether the measures are actually effective.
Strategy and hypotheses — from idea to plan
After defining the goals, we translate them into a product strategy. Hypotheses are a central tool for this. Instead of relying on gut feeling, we formulate assumptions that can be tested:
“When we place social proof elements (such as customer logos and testimonials) above the fold on the pricing page, the conversion rate of mid-market customers increases by 20% because they gain trust more quickly. ”
Such hypotheses force us to make clear decisions: What do we want to change? For whom? What behavior do we expect? And why do we think it works?
To ensure that these hypotheses are not in a vacuum, we collect data: We conduct stakeholder interviews to understand internal goals. We analyze competitors and their websites to identify best practices and gaps. We create personas and user journeys to understand what information users need at which stage.
The result is a clear action plan that not only describes what is to be built, but also why.
Iterative implementation — the path to the product
Implementation starts now — but not as a waterfall project, but iteratively. First, we develop a concept that defines narratives, content structure, and key interactions. This is followed by wireframes, which make information architecture and user flows visible.
Only then do we start with design and development. The result is a first version of the website that covers the most important goals — an MVP, if you will. This version goes live as early as possible so that real data can be collected.
At the same time, we set up a tracking layer to measure the defined KPIs. From the start, we know which metrics are being monitored and can gain initial insights immediately after launch.
Review and learn — the website is becoming intelligent
After the launch, the most exciting part begins: learning. We evaluate how users behave on the website. Heatmaps, funnel analyses, session recordings and qualitative user interviews show us where there is a problem, which content works well and which may need to be adapted.
This data is the basis for the next iteration. Instead of guessing what could be improved, we make decisions based on evidence.
Continuous improvement — the cycle is complete
A good website is never “done.” It is constantly evolving, just like a successful product. New features are tested, content is added or updated, layouts are adapted.
To this end, we maintain a growth learning backlog in which all hypotheses, results and next steps are documented. This backlog is not just a task board, but the memory of the entire project — it ensures that nothing is forgotten and that all learnings are incorporated into future iterations.
This creates a cycle of measuring → learning → optimizing, which turns the website from a static asset into a lively, strategic tool.
Conclusion: Websites as a growth lever
The days of “Launch & Forget” are over. A modern website is not a one-off project, but a strategic growth driver. It can generate leads, increase applications, build trust — but only if it is continuously measured and improved.
Companies that treat their website like a product benefit in several ways: They learn faster, make better decisions, invest their budget more specifically and build up a long-term competitive advantage.
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