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Article rating : 0.00, 0 votes. Author : Bob Volk
When Designers and Site Builders begin the process of making a website for themselves or clients, the first question they need to ask themselves is:
“What is the Purpose of this Website I am about to create?”
If you are only trying to impress friends and family with your amazing flash animation and techno beat rhythms, then the site is only limited to your prowess and imagination. I’ve personally seen sites that are absolutely incredible in their presentation and music. I’ve even felt like I was at the movies with some– watching a great sci-fi flick (albeit for only a few minutes).
If that is your goal, and that is what your clients want, then I say “Go for it!” Give it all the slow loading bells and whistles you can think of.
After all, if your friends and family wait for them to load, potential clients will too, Right?
“WRONG!”
Depending on whose statistics you read, you have between 6 and 10 seconds to explain who you are, what you do, and where to go for the next bit of information that could lead to a sale or a lead. So, for our example, let’s say its 10 seconds…
That gives you an average of 3 seconds to quickly and concisely convey who you are, 3 more seconds to convey what you do, and 4 seconds to guide the viewer to the proper sequence of events that could lead to a sale.
Depending on your presentation AND the bandwidth of your potential client (over half the USA still use phone modems to access the internet), your wonderfully beautiful, high tech flash presentation could take 30 – 60 seconds or more to load.
So during the first crucial 10 seconds…
Do they find out who you are? Maybe- if your company name is “Loading Presentation, Inc.”.
Do they understand what you do? If you have VERY slow loading website –that’s about all they will understand for 30 – 60 seconds (IF they decide to hang around because they have nothing else to do that day).
Do they know what to do next? Most make that decision easily- “Forget this- I’ll click on another site to see if THEY have what I’m looking for…”
So What Can You Do?
That’s easy, just four simple words… “Make Every Second Count!”
How do you do this? Not so simple, but I can give you some important guidance.
Winston Churchill once said “If you want me to give an hour and a half long speech, give me 5 minutes to prepare. If you want me to give a five minute speech, Give me an hour and a half to prepare”.
This great statesman recognized the fact that if he only had five minutes to impact a crowd, he absolutely needed to pare down the frivolous, non-important facets of his speech so that every word, every expression, would accomplish exactly what it needed, in as short a time as needed.
He also realized that it takes more preparation to present in a short few minutes, than if he had all the time in the world.
You too, must approach your design issues this way. Yes your friends, colleagues, and family will ALWAYS take the time to watch your work. And, if you’re any good, you will probably get the “OOhs and Aughs” as they watch.
Good for ego, bad for business.
Now, let me clarify. There are industries and businesses where a super duper “check this out” type site is justified. But if your client wants a site that actually converts to sales or generates leads – You MUST change your thinking process.
You must look at the project from the prospective buyers’ point of view (POV). Think of yourself as an incredibly busy executive- you have 30 minutes carved out to find a purple widget for your business. You Google it and see 25,000,000 competing sites. You’ll look at the first ten, maybe. You’re in a hurry, click on first site, ”Hmmm interesting.” you think, as you click a couple more links. “Looks good, I’ll check a few more sites”.
You are already in a "click and see" mode, there's momentum building, you're on a mission and you have a deadline....
Then you click on a link with a slow loading behemoth of a flash presentation. You hear the theme from “Jeopardy” playing in your head doo doo doo doo doo dah doo…
Are you going to stay there while it loads? NO way! Click, you’re gone. No time to wait. Have a life. Need Info.
And your sites’ opportunity to acquire a new paying client evaporates into the aether along with its
Profit and Loss statement.
FOCUS Brings Profits!
SO where do you go from here? First of all, you must focus your design in the key areas that a client will browse when first approaching your site.
Huh? Let me explain...
There are Thermal Eye Imaging Results that Reveal How People View Search Results!
Yes, there are secret, critical design paths that very few designers and site builders know. Recently, a research foundation set up instrumentation to detect and follow where the eyes of internet surfers go as pages load in front of them.
They used a thousand people, so this was no mom and pop test with 3 family members. They had thermal eye imaging cameras set-up with sophisticated software, tracking even the smallest movement of the eyes as they perused the sight.
The results were astounding and conclusive. There were consistent, measurable, pathways that people would follow as they looked at a site.
If look at a picture of those results, you will see that most people's eyes tend to fall immediately on the upper left hand side of the page and move down center/left. Knowing this- consider some of your recent designs….
Where does your site lead surfers?
Do you have your critical information in the KEY areas where people look?
Let's Do The TWO-STEP:
Here’s a two step process that will help you...
1) Decide what ONE major action you want a visitor to your site to do (click here for more info, sign up for our newsletter, special discount here, etc).
2) Put that ONE major action in the “Hot Spot” as seen in the Thermal Imaging report.
EVERY site that we have done this to, we’ve seen increases in the action desired. If it’s opt-ins, they’ve increased. If it’s “click here for more info”, more people click through.
Think about it. If you want to build a list, but your opt in form is at the bottom right hand corner of your site, you think you will have the same results as someone who puts it smack dab in the middle of the bulls-eye? No way, Jose`.
Now, take the cool test below- it will be a real eye opener…
TEN SECONDS to breakthrough:
TRY this test called the 10 second challenge.
Go to your site and let it load. If you have a fancy flash presentation, go fix yourself a ham and cheese sandwich, make a pot of tea, and mow your neighbors’ lawn first.
For the rest of you, sit in front of your screen, about 2-3 feet away. Close your eyes for 10 seconds (no cheating). Now, open your eyes and observe WHERE your eyes want to naturally go.
Is it to your logo? Is it to the number one action area? Is to an area of color or text that isn’t anywhere near where you want them to go? Or do your eyes wander aimlessly trying to find something of value to focus on?
If you’re unsure of the results, do it several times. You will begin to get a feel for what’s happening.
Now, take the information you have about the thermal eye charts. Do a quick re-design using those parameters. Then repeat the 10 second test again and see if it impacts your results. Once you feel comfortable with your design issues, use your family or friends as lab rats (ok, guinea pigs), and do the 10 second test with them on your site.
See if they see the same thing you do.
Take My Hand, Please...
Your customers or potential clients MUST be easily and clearly led exactly where you want them to go. If there is one scintilla of hesitation or confusion, you could forever lose them. BUT, if you make the path of little decisions very clear, and you put the signs for that path in the proper places where you know they will be looking, you WILL see some very positive results.
I’ve given you some key information that professionals use to get tremendous results. We use them with our own sites, and most of our clients’ sites. They work. I encourage you to do the same.
Keep tweaking, keep testing, and you WILL see a difference in your conversion AND lead responses.
You will be amazed at the results.
And so will your clients…
Bob Volk, Founder of VolkNet Enterprises, is an Internet Entrepreneur and has started/co-founded many sites including http://volknet.com, http://seo-elite-services, and his newest venture, an automated link exchange program with a unique twist at http://Link-Blaster.com He specializes in Web Site Design, Marketing, and SEO Consultation for both small and medium size businesses doing $30 - $40 million a year.
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