How to get people to your website…and keep them there!

When it comes to a website, sometimes the hardes part is not how to get them there, but how to keep them on your site longer than 2 minutes. Well, for me anyway. So, I thought I would share some techniques that have worked for me.

First things first
Your content should be the first thing you consider during a redesign. You need to make sure that you CALL THINGS WHAT THEY ARE!! Don’t use words like “surrogated-liner impact sealer” when its really just a door knob. If a search engine is trying to help a potential customer of yours find a door knob…do you think they will know your special terminology that you’ve got on your site? NO!

I’ve mentioned the buying cycle of the internet in previous posts, but lets go over it one more time using this nice graphic I designed and understand that you want to be found in the “Purchase” stage.

You also want to make sure you stay in the “Heat Zone” and stay “Above the fold” with all your good information.  Above the fold is the area that you don’t have to scroll down to. So for instance, if all your good data has to be scrolled down to get to…well….then you are below the fold and most likely, you’re losing a lot of people.

What’s your Keyword Strategy?
There are several types of searchers that are your potential buyers on the internet. What I mean by this is, when a person searches online they are entering in specific words and hoping to find what they are looking for.  These are your internet prospects.

• There’s the “Sharpshooter.” They usually are looking for a product to be found in a “specific search,” using detailed words.
• Then we have the “Shotgun” searcher. They have an idea what they want, but aren’t ready to make a commitment to buy unless something comes along.
• Finally there is the “Artillery” searcher. They have no idea what they are buying or searching for and are going to search 3 – 5 pages deep to get every answer possible.

So in relation to your website, you need to communicate who you are in the first 4 seconds and tell them why they need to do business with you. Tell them how you can make their life better. Sell to the needs and personality of the visitor on the page and show your personality and unique voice. It’s critical to appeal to logic, emotion, and credibility on your site.

How do you appeal to these things?
A well designed page with good content equals credibility. You need to have a site that has “Readability.” This can be achieved with little to no scrolling, no blinking, no rotating figures and low contrast. You also can achieve these critical elements by writing for users, not search engines. I know, it’s tempting to try to put a bunch of keywords throughout your site, but trust me…it doesn’t work. Testimonials have perfect keywords, and since it’s a proven marketing fact that testimonials are what end users really want to see, why not have a section on your site for testimonials, and a lead in on the home page relating to the testimonial? (Free advice from me)

You need to answer these questions and then you’ll create the content that engages your customer to stay on your site:

1. What is the real purpose of your site?
2. Exactly what do you want your customers to do once they get on your site?Have you given them the tools to do that?
3. Have you given them a “Next step” to do?
4. Do your customers have to guess what to do next?
5. Are each of your pages clearly giving a “Call to action”?

Answering these questions will establish a criteria for everything you do on the web and even the design!