You know that I'm always extolling the virtues of an all-round website marketing approach that doesn't just focus on search engines? Well, you'll be suprised to hear there's a big problem with this.
The big problem with this is that it assumes your website is ready to start receiving lots of visitors in the first place! Before you start marketing your site you need to know..
How To Destroy Your Homepage And Turn It Into Dynamite
The sad fact of the matter is that most homepages on the web suck. They're not just "below par" - they are downright embarrassing. Now I'm not saying yours is one of them but I'll stick my neck on the line and say that yours is not 100% perfect.
So what can you do? Well - it's time to get a sledgehammer and destroy your homepage. Don't pussyfoot around - just take a big run up, a huge swing and smash the thing to smithereens. Level it to the floor. It's the only way to get it right.
Why Destroying Your Homepage Is The Right Thing To Do
By destroying your homepage you will then start with a blank page - the only way to truly get inspired and come up with something completely different.
You see the problem here is that your homepage is probably the result of months of tweaking, tidying, cluttering, cleaning, dusting, re-tweaking and re-cluttering. Your homepage usually ends up as a combination of all the things you think are important but as a result can often end up looking more like a messy attic than a welcoming reception into your business.
3 Ingredients You Need To Turn Your Homepage Into Dynamite
Ingredient No. 1 - Headlines
You've read a newspaper right? (Here's hoping..). Imagine trying to digest all that information without headlines to draw your attention, differentiate all the separate paragraphs and give you a clue as to what the detailed descriptions beneath are all about? It would be impossible to read.
If you don't have attention-grabbing headlines on your homepage that's what you're doing - making your page impossible to read. And remember - "Welcome to Widgets Inc." or "Welcome to my homepage" are not headlines! Write something that makes me ask "How do you do that?!"
Ingredient No. 2 - Proof Is In The Pudding
You will never make a single sale in your life unless you can establish confidence in the buyer. One of the easiest ways to establish this confidence is to show them proof. Now the tricky bit here is that you haven't got pages and pages of opportunity to do this - you can't start waxing lyrical on your homepage.
What you need to do is hit people with quick shots of hard, cold and irrefutable proof right away. Proof that what you sell works. Proof that they should listen to you. Proof that if they leave your website right now their life will be worse because of it. But I'm not in a position to tell you exactly what shape this proof should take - hell, it's your business not mine! If you haven't got lots of proof - you're in trouble and possibly in the wrong business.
Ingredient 3 - One Single Individual Sole Lonely Non-plural Stand Alone Call To Action
What is your website for? What are you trying to do with it? Whatever your ultimate desired end goal for each visitor you need to make this clear to them right on the homepage. Don't just leave them floating around looking at information making their own decisions about where to go on your site and what to do! Why? Because the chances are that their decision will be to get out of there at the first opportunity because you've not told them what you want them to do.
People like to be led. So lead them!!
"I want to sell you X on this site"
"You need to sign-up now and your life will never be the same again!"
The above are both good examples. Don't be scared and British about it - shout about your motives and desires on your homepage. Otherwise - don't come moaning to me when your visitors aren't doing what you want them to do. They're not psychic you know!
Michael Cheney is Author of The Website Marketing BibleTM. Take the Free 7-Part Course "Internet Marketing Made Easy" and get your free sampler of 'The Bible' here: http://www.websitemarketingbible.com/marketin g/
Tips to brand your websiteInclude your logo in all pages.... Read More
To explain my point I need to first confuse the... Read More
If you're running a website or online business, your number... Read More
Some wise human once said "Learn from the mistakes of... Read More
When creating an e-cover the what's the first thought that... Read More
In this article I will give advice and tips of... Read More
In this article, I will attempt to cover the basics... Read More
One of the challenges of moving a web site up... Read More
A professionally presented business website is a powerful and essential... Read More
I want you to imagine a lemon. In your mind's... Read More
Want to know what the worst thing to say on... Read More
The great debate: how much copy you should have on... Read More
Home PageHome page should clearly indicate what the site is... Read More
Surfing the internet is basically an information-fest! From intellectual discussions... Read More
Design sells. It's something that all of us know, but... Read More
1. Repackage your web site content in to different products... Read More
Using CGI scripts to add automation to your web site... Read More
Your home page is the most important page of your... Read More
If you are designing a web site for which the... Read More
The solution lies in creating a 'Database driven website', through... Read More
Most websites use similar fonts and as a result have... Read More
ActiveX uses an interesting method for enforcing security ... it... Read More
FACT: 30 to 60% of visitors tend to drop off... Read More
Making a poorly designed website is one of the easiest... Read More
With the advent of the Internet a whole new vista... Read More
Your web site should be-visitor friendly to navigatesearch engine friendly... Read More
Before deciding on which web design company to choose, you... Read More
They say the eyes are the window to the soul.... Read More
Where does a person start when setting up a website?... Read More
This may comes as a surprise to you but, if... Read More
Well, a logo for your business. Why is it important?... Read More
All websites have a homepage. It is the most important... Read More
The top ten fonts for website design might change in... Read More
Why is the quality of your text layout and design... Read More
Questions to ask when designing a Web Site for your... Read More
Are you looking to create the perfect website? A complete... Read More
Hello, how is your website doing?Are sales flowing in?If you... Read More
The question that I most frequently hear from people is... Read More
An "include" file is a piece of code that can... Read More
About two years ago, I had a go at commercial... Read More
It seems that almost every Tom Dick and Harry do... Read More
Have you put a lot of effort, time, and money... Read More
Choosing a web designer can seem like a daunting task.... Read More
Due to the large number of people offering website design... Read More
What's happening to good web site design? Somehow we creative... Read More
As an online Entrepreneur you require a successful website.One that... Read More
Thinking about designing your own website? Think again about adding... Read More
Dear web site visitor.I can't tell you how glad I... Read More
If you own a web site or if you are... Read More
Nope. You certainly don't need a website.But you don't need... Read More
Automating your online business is one of the most important... Read More
The effective design is this one, which is maximum simplified,... Read More
Once, I attempted to create a favicon (the little graphic... Read More
Wether you design your business brochures, flyers, web page, or... Read More
What is a Website Template?Many smart and savvy businesses are... Read More
With an increasing number of employment portals emerging, it is... Read More
Using CGI scripts to add automation to your web site... Read More
When it comes to marketing your website, you should really... Read More
Making a poorly designed website is one of the easiest... Read More
Marketing is not an easy skill to acquire.It requires patience... Read More
Sooner or later every small or medium business owner realizes... Read More
A professionally presented business website is a powerful and essential... Read More
For many webmasters the title of my article may seem... Read More
If you were like me and you have just started... Read More
**How Colors are Used in web design:**Demarcates screen elements into... Read More
If you've just finished building your new website (or revamping... Read More
Web Design |