Inside Small Business | Small Business & Home Business Marketing
Logoworks Small Business & Home Business Newsletter
Does Your Website Have “Calls to Action”?
by: Neil Paige
Does your website have “Calls to Action”?
If your answer is “NO” then you have greatly diminished the “Goal Realization Capability” of your website.
Think about an interested visitor to your website and how you have missed a potential conversion opportunity by not presenting him a strong “Call to Action”.
Goals you set for your website may be selling your product or service, white paper downloads, a newsletter sign-up, taking a survey etc. At a stage where the visitor is convinced that you have something valuable for him – you have to nail it with a statement which is hard for the visitor to ignore. This is where the Call to Action steps in – a clear step to tell them what they can expect and what you want them to do.
Every visit to your website is a precious commodity and without CTAs you are simply wasting the time of your interested visitors and of course your efforts on the website. Look for the segment of users coming to your website and accordingly treat them with specific “Call to Actions”.
What you need to keep in mind for CTAs
• Uniqueness: The phrase used relates the PAIN the visitor is experiencing. HIT the PAIN!
• Position: A ‘clear and visible’ call to action has to be placed ‘above the fold’. ‘Above the fold’ is that part of the website which you see without a scroll. Research states that 60% – 80% of visitors will not scroll your website ‘down the fold’, so the best opportunity is lying ‘above the fold’.
• Consistent: Place your call to action on every page that talks with the FLOW of website. If the user is not convinced on the first page and is looking for more educational content, flow them to next page but keep a call to action available on all those pages where you think the user may convert. No looking around for visitor, this has to be available right when it is needed.
• Color: A consistent color on the CTAs so that visitor can distinguish them – works wonders.
• Easy to Understand: The short and precise language can eliminate the guess work and helps user to take action.
• Be Specific: As discussed earlier, “Call to Action” should be tailored to audience interest. Before writing any “Call to Action”, you need to ask yourself few questions:
o What is my user base?
o What are their interests?
o What motivates them?
o How can I help them?
• Size: The size of “Call to Action” does matter. Do make it look bigger than other Action buttons available on the page. Bigger grabs attention.
All the above drives visitors towards the goal you wish them to complete.
Two Strategies For Website Home Page Copy to Make Visitors Stick Around
By Phyllis Zimbler Miller
A website’s home page is the most important real estate of that website. What copy you put on that home page may determine whether a visitor to the site will stick around — or instead immediately click away to a more “appealing” website home page.
What’s a more “appealing” website home page? One that follows these two basic but oh so important strategies:
1. On the web, less is more.
2. Tell people what’s in it for them, not what appeals to you.
Let’s look more closely at both of these strategies:
Less is more: On the web many people tend to skim copy looking for the highlights of a new site. If we don’t find something immediately that holds our attention it’s just too easy to click away.
The basic elements of this step are: — Short — and I mean short — paragraphs with a line of white space between each paragraph — Font size large enough to be read easily — Boldface subheads that provide important information by themselves — And a reduction of what you say to the most essential — leave much of the related copy for interior pages
Tell people what’s in it for them: Now this is for the actual text of your copy: You do not say how beautifully made are the hand-woven winter scarves you sell (even though this feature is something you really admire).
You do say that these scarves are especially woven to trap the cold air so that a person’s neck stays warm even in very cold weather. This is what a person buying a winter scarf for protection from the cold wants to know: How well will this scarf keep out the cold?
Many business owners do not want to accept this concept; they want to list all the great features of their product. But their prospective customers don’t care about the features — these prospective customers care about the benefits to them.
To write copy that attracts potential buyers, you must switch from talking about what interests you to talking about what interests the potential buyers.
Bonus tip: Use everyday language so people can get the important information easily. You do not want to create a mental stumbling block by using “sophisticated” words that may interrupt a person’s reading.
To recap, keep your website home page copy “simple” (brief, easy to read) and targeted to what your potential customers want to hear.
Need a Website Redesign? Seven Signs Your Small Business Website is Dead
By Michael Borowiecki
Over time, small business websites start to show their age. To stay on top of your game, you need to take an active role in reviewing your site’s graphics, content and technology on a regular basis. So, is it time for a website redesign? The following seven clues are strong indicators your small business website is in need of a serious website redesign.
1. If your small business website is badly outdated, it’s time for a website redesign.
Above all else, if your site hasn’t seen a good scrubbing in years, you need a website redesign. Websites need periodic updates to remain relevant. So if you haven’t updated your site with new product images, service information, graphics, photos and other content in the last few years, you need to redesign your website.
2. If your site is winded trying to keep up with competitors, you need a website redesign.
Just because you aren’t web savvy, certainly does not mean your customers aren’t. It is mission critical you provide relevant content that is continuously updated and differentiates you from the competition. Take a look around at the content, graphics and branding of your competitors’ websites. Is your site at the top of the heap? If your site doesn’t stand out and brand your business, it’s time for a website redesign.
3. Does your website provide a unified brand image that presents your business as the solution? If not, it’s time for a website redesign.
For many small business owners, your website will create the first impression customer’s have of your business. It’s crucial you present a strong visual image for customers to connect with. Play into the emotional needs, dreams and goals of your audience. An amateur small business website or template site is a sure way to crater your image. If your website needs a brand image overhaul, you need to redesign your website.
4. Are you using a website template? If so, there’s no ifs ands or buts about it, you need a website redesign.
Sure, free and cheap website templates can save you money on the front end, but it’s going to cost your dearly on the back end. Small business websites using FrontPage, Publisher or clipart graphics need to be redesigned. The above technologies will seriously damage your credibility and professionalism. Step up and run with the big dogs! Web design advancements have leapt past these templates and made them virtually obsolete. If you’re still using a starter website or free website template, it is definitely time for a website redesign.
5. Is your small business website able to grow with your business? If your site is constricting your online presence, it’s time for a website redesign.
Is your website one big colossal headache every time you need to add new content? If you have to redesign large parts of your website to accommodate minor website updates, you need a website redesign. New technologies are making it easier than ever for small business owners to take control of managing their website with little technical experience. Ask your web designer about using a Content Management System, such as WordPress when redesigning your website.
6. If your website’s content has more wrinkles than your great grandmother, it’s time for a website redesign.
No one likes to read the latest news, only to realize they’ve been duped. If your website content is badly outdated, and it no longer holds relevance, your customers aren’t going to want to read it. And search engines won’t like it either! If the majority of your small business website content is outdated, it’s a strong indication you need to bite the bullet in favor of a website redesign.
7. Is your small business website built like a catacomb? If yes, it’s time for a website redesign.
We all hate the moment when we realize, “I’m lost… I haven’t a clue where the hell I am!” The same holds true when it comes to your website. If customers can’t find what they’re looking for, quick and easily, you need a website redesign. Unlike the offline world, if a potential customer leaves your website because they got lost… they’ll leave with their wallet and never come back.
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