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I have outlined a few simple things you can do (or get your web designer to do) that won't cost you anything.
1. Flash intros It's not the 80's anymore and you will lose a good chunk of people by placing this 'wall' in front of your page. Flash intros take time to load and time to play. We are no longer in awe of the web and are in a hurry - don't make your visitors wait. If you're so in love with your intro - integrate it into your home page, but add a call to action at the end.
2. Broken links and pages This is a biggie! There are more broken links on the net than you could shake a stick at. Do yourself a favour and download Xenu's Link Sleuth - this will run a check on your website, and among some pretty good information tell you where your broken links are. I'm sure you get as frustrated as I do when you want to view a page and it's down - this doesn't bode well for a companies reputation.
3. Though subjective, there are some obvious design slips you need to avoid
# Hard to read type - Way too many sites use fonts smaller than 10 point - it just won't get read, simple.
# Logo / Branding - In days gone by you'd have to employ a big agency to get your image / logo / and branding done. In 2007 - take your pick. There are some great guys on who can take care of this for you. Remember when people are searching for your product or service they will be comparing you with the competition. You have less than 8 seconds before the average visitor LEAVES your site
# I see too many small business owners or one man bands selling a "product" (not service) and put their mug shot on there - WHY? They're not buying YOU they're buying your "product". Think about the images and elements you use on your page. They MUST have a function and not because "Oh I think it looks nice" - NO. Get a blog if you want to showcase yourself.
# Colour - No one does black backgrounds anymore - get with it. Neither do they do visitor counters (urgh). Corny clip art found in Microsoft Word is a no no...there are loads of free stock image sites out there. I know there are loads of tinkerers (is that a word?) out there who put their sites together themselves - but trust me, 9 times out of 10 when you decide to get 'serious' you'll need to get it done by someone who does it for a living.
4. Unrelated copy / graphics I reiterate - You have less than 8 seconds to convice someone to stay on your page so bear the following in mind.
# Does your title clearly demonstrate your offering? Are you describing what your widget does or the benefit? We only care about ourselves, so tell me how it will benefit me and I might read your call to action...
# This call to action must now bolster the claim made in the title, not continue describing how well the widget was made.
# Hardly anyone will read "every" word of your copy. Yes I know you spent the last three months getting it right, but when we get to a web page we don't carefully examine the page - we skim; our eyes roam around the page looking for elements of interest - stuff that catches they eye. After they're satisfied that they're in the right place they will either engage your call to action or bugger off.
# Employ a 'hero shot" - What's that? It's the picture of your ideal customer using or feeling the benefits of your widget. Humans connect with other humans and imagery is strong - use it to your advantage. When choosing an image for your 'hero shot' make sure you understand which demographic you're going after and use a relevant picture.
# Are you selling your widget or harping on about your companies history? Use the words on your page carefully. We'll only seek 'further' information on the company when we are happy to consider your widget and use that help justify contacting / buying from you - normally not before.
5. If it can be tested it can be improved. This is the single most important part of improving your conversions. Work out how many visitors you have and how may sales your have had out of it. Divide sales into visitors and that's your conversion rate in simple terms. Next - implement one of those changes to your site - then see what happens to your rate of conversion - rinse and repeat. Sounds easy right? Dedicate some time to it and you'll reap the dividends!
by EHLOnline
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