Advertising Tips For Small Online Businesses
People Do Judge Web Sites By Their Front Pages
A successful Web site is an extremely effective sales tool since it has the ability to gain the attention of a captive audience. Like all direct response marketing processes, it must first hook a reader's attention and then move them to take some action. However, when the mechanics of that very first page are ignored, it often causes visitors to click out of a site from the moment they arrive. And such Web sites, although some of which get a large number of hits, never seem to produce the anticipated level of response let alone deeper traffic.
This article does not focus on traffic-building specifically or on the programming elements of a good first page (such as HTML, meta-tags, frames, scripts, graphics, style sheets, ad nauseum), but on its content, copy, looks, and consistency that will captivate the attention of today's leery and undiscerning audience. It is to move them to surf further into the site and ultimately to the sale -- and it all starts with the first page.
With just a few changes, you can turn your Web site into a more compelling and effective sales tool. Remember that, every single day, your customers are bombarded with a continuous flow of information and marketing messages, and that competition for their attention is exceedingly fierce. A Web site that captures their attention and stays active in your customer's mind will not only have them visit deeper into your site and generate sales but also have them visit your site again and again as well as refer your site to others.
Here are some basic rules to follow when designing a front page:
Be Focused
Target your market! As the adage goes, "You can not be all things to all people." You can, however, position your site effectively to meet the needs of a specific group. It's a paradox but you will indeed get more with less. This means understanding who your customers/visitors are and what motivates their buying decisions. Therefore, do your homework. Know your customer. Appeal to their specific needs and psyche. Focus like a laser on your niche, and your site will burn into their minds.
Web sites centered on a very narrow theme or idea will create visitors of greater interest, and especially leads that are much more pre-qualified and apt to buy. Look at it this way: When you narrow down your message and focus on a niche, visitors will be 50% sold the minute they hit your site's first page. Then, it is up to your content (copy, offer, and call-to-action) to take them through the remaining 50%.
Niche marketing on the Web is particularly important since people do not have the time to sift through an entire site -- let alone a search engine or even the Internet -- to find exactly that for which they are looking. If your site is unique, highly specialized, and focused however, people will be inclined to surf deeper into your site once they hit the first page.
When focusing on a niche, the content of your site's first page will be far more credible than the mere see-through puffery of one's own blatant promotional message. Nevertheless, if you cater to a particular audience, it will then be easier for your first page to lead visitors to a successful outcome because, once they hit your site, they are in fact pre-qualified.
Be Specific
Answer this skill-testing question: "What exactly do you want your visitors to do?" Simple, isn't it? But it doesn't seem that way with the many sites I've visited. The KISS principle (that's Keep It Simple and Straightforward) is immensely important on online. An effective Web site starts with smart planning and it must have a clear objective that will lead to a specific action or outcome. If your site is not meant to, say, sell a product, gain a customer, or obtain an inquiry for more information, then what exactly must it do? Work around the answer as specifically as possible. In short, have a plan when you design your site's front page.
Don't be vague and be specific. Is your Web site meant to be like a resume or billboard that only advertises the fact that you are "open for business"? It shouldn't, unless you are intimately involved with that specific medium (i.e., you are a Web designer or host, or in other words your site is the product in itself). If not, is it to generate qualified leads? Is it to sell a particular product? Are you trying to persuade your visitors to switch from another company to you? Do you want them to call you on the phone for more information? Are you trying to have them subscribe to some membership program? You get the picture.
The mind hates confusion. If you try to get your visitors to do too many things, especially on the front page, they will do nothing. However, if you want to offer a visitor a variety of different options, then try to focus on one alone and create a secondary page (or more) that are each respective to a particular action, and then link them together at the appropriate locations for flow. In essence, keep your message focused. Do not try to communicate too much -- you will overwhelm the reader. Use one major theme and revolve your message around it.
Be Clear
When you are in the process of buying a book, for instance, the one thing that has attracted you is the cover (if you're not aware of the author beforehand, and even then the cover plays a key role). If the proverb "Don't judge books by their covers" exists, it is because we, as humans, have the natural inclination to do so. Newspapers capitalize on that intrinsic human behavior, which is why front-page headlines and news articles are always carefully selected. In fact, the most read part of a newspaper is not only the front page but also the top section (or what is commonly referred as "above the fold").
Therefore, the front page of your Web site is "the cover of your book," so to speak. It should entice readers to surf further into the site and not lead them to take action right then and there (unless your web site is a single page). On the front page, keep the written copy short (or its major benefit "above the fold") and to the point, allowing the reader to easily see what's in it for them. Use bold, attention-grabbing headlines and sub-headlines to emphasize the major theme and the core benefit that your site offers.
In fact, list the benefits. Why should a visitor surf your site? What's in it for him/her? In other words, focus on communicating to the visitor the reasons why they should browse further. A great technique for doing so is to use a bulleted list of benefits (such as when it follows the words "With this site, you get," "in this site, you will find," or "here are the reasons why you should browse this site").
Bulleted benefit lists not only give a visual break for the reader but are also effective since they are short, to-the-point, and clustered for greater impact. Remember that customers buy benefits not products. Therefore, your first page should focus on the benefits of your web site and not its features. It must give specific reasons for surfers to venture further.
Harry Joseph
Hey check out this ex-hacker's software.
It is called Commission Crusher
http://tinyurl.com/4ezdag9
A successful Web site is an extremely effective sales tool since it has the ability to gain the attention of a captive audience. Like all direct response marketing processes, it must first hook a reader's attention and then move them to take some action. However, when the mechanics of that very first page are ignored, it often causes visitors to click out of a site from the moment they arrive. And such Web sites, although some of which get a large number of hits, never seem to produce the anticipated level of response let alone deeper traffic.
This article does not focus on traffic-building specifically or on the programming elements of a good first page (such as HTML, meta-tags, frames, scripts, graphics, style sheets, ad nauseum), but on its content, copy, looks, and consistency that will captivate the attention of today's leery and undiscerning audience. It is to move them to surf further into the site and ultimately to the sale -- and it all starts with the first page.
With just a few changes, you can turn your Web site into a more compelling and effective sales tool. Remember that, every single day, your customers are bombarded with a continuous flow of information and marketing messages, and that competition for their attention is exceedingly fierce. A Web site that captures their attention and stays active in your customer's mind will not only have them visit deeper into your site and generate sales but also have them visit your site again and again as well as refer your site to others.
Here are some basic rules to follow when designing a front page:
Be Focused
Target your market! As the adage goes, "You can not be all things to all people." You can, however, position your site effectively to meet the needs of a specific group. It's a paradox but you will indeed get more with less. This means understanding who your customers/visitors are and what motivates their buying decisions. Therefore, do your homework. Know your customer. Appeal to their specific needs and psyche. Focus like a laser on your niche, and your site will burn into their minds.
Web sites centered on a very narrow theme or idea will create visitors of greater interest, and especially leads that are much more pre-qualified and apt to buy. Look at it this way: When you narrow down your message and focus on a niche, visitors will be 50% sold the minute they hit your site's first page. Then, it is up to your content (copy, offer, and call-to-action) to take them through the remaining 50%.
Niche marketing on the Web is particularly important since people do not have the time to sift through an entire site -- let alone a search engine or even the Internet -- to find exactly that for which they are looking. If your site is unique, highly specialized, and focused however, people will be inclined to surf deeper into your site once they hit the first page.
When focusing on a niche, the content of your site's first page will be far more credible than the mere see-through puffery of one's own blatant promotional message. Nevertheless, if you cater to a particular audience, it will then be easier for your first page to lead visitors to a successful outcome because, once they hit your site, they are in fact pre-qualified.
Be Specific
Answer this skill-testing question: "What exactly do you want your visitors to do?" Simple, isn't it? But it doesn't seem that way with the many sites I've visited. The KISS principle (that's Keep It Simple and Straightforward) is immensely important on online. An effective Web site starts with smart planning and it must have a clear objective that will lead to a specific action or outcome. If your site is not meant to, say, sell a product, gain a customer, or obtain an inquiry for more information, then what exactly must it do? Work around the answer as specifically as possible. In short, have a plan when you design your site's front page.
Don't be vague and be specific. Is your Web site meant to be like a resume or billboard that only advertises the fact that you are "open for business"? It shouldn't, unless you are intimately involved with that specific medium (i.e., you are a Web designer or host, or in other words your site is the product in itself). If not, is it to generate qualified leads? Is it to sell a particular product? Are you trying to persuade your visitors to switch from another company to you? Do you want them to call you on the phone for more information? Are you trying to have them subscribe to some membership program? You get the picture.
The mind hates confusion. If you try to get your visitors to do too many things, especially on the front page, they will do nothing. However, if you want to offer a visitor a variety of different options, then try to focus on one alone and create a secondary page (or more) that are each respective to a particular action, and then link them together at the appropriate locations for flow. In essence, keep your message focused. Do not try to communicate too much -- you will overwhelm the reader. Use one major theme and revolve your message around it.
Be Clear
When you are in the process of buying a book, for instance, the one thing that has attracted you is the cover (if you're not aware of the author beforehand, and even then the cover plays a key role). If the proverb "Don't judge books by their covers" exists, it is because we, as humans, have the natural inclination to do so. Newspapers capitalize on that intrinsic human behavior, which is why front-page headlines and news articles are always carefully selected. In fact, the most read part of a newspaper is not only the front page but also the top section (or what is commonly referred as "above the fold").
Therefore, the front page of your Web site is "the cover of your book," so to speak. It should entice readers to surf further into the site and not lead them to take action right then and there (unless your web site is a single page). On the front page, keep the written copy short (or its major benefit "above the fold") and to the point, allowing the reader to easily see what's in it for them. Use bold, attention-grabbing headlines and sub-headlines to emphasize the major theme and the core benefit that your site offers.
In fact, list the benefits. Why should a visitor surf your site? What's in it for him/her? In other words, focus on communicating to the visitor the reasons why they should browse further. A great technique for doing so is to use a bulleted list of benefits (such as when it follows the words "With this site, you get," "in this site, you will find," or "here are the reasons why you should browse this site").
Bulleted benefit lists not only give a visual break for the reader but are also effective since they are short, to-the-point, and clustered for greater impact. Remember that customers buy benefits not products. Therefore, your first page should focus on the benefits of your web site and not its features. It must give specific reasons for surfers to venture further.
Harry Joseph
Hey check out this ex-hacker's software.
It is called Commission Crusher
http://tinyurl.com/4ezdag9
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