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10 Tips For Web Success
he webmaster's biggest job like to interact.
is to get their traffic up
and keep customers/visitors (2) Treat the Customer's Time
coming back. Building the site is as Valuable.
one thing, but simply building When a person visits your
and posting a website does not website, you have their attention
guarantee traffic. In fact, a for that point in time. You
website could be beautiful and an either need to use it or you will
example of all the latest lose it - fast. Most visitors
technology and still not attract have short attention spans, what
a single visitor if not promoted you need to design your site
correctly. Here are 10 tips to homepage so that it grabs their
guide you to success with your attention and provides what they
website. are looking for right away. Its
like walking into a restaurant.
(1) The internet is a new If you walk in and just stand
medium. there and nobody comes to greet
At least compared to print, it you, you might wonder what is
is. A website is a waste if it happening. But, if the hostess
simply re-hashes something which comes and greets you right away
could easily be put into print. and walks you to a table, then
Don't have the site be just an you will be there for awhile and
online brochure. Put up features eat. The same analogy goes for
which take advantage of the websites. Don't overcomplicate
internet as a medium of your website homepage. Best
communication. Filter information results will be obtained if you
for them. Provide search make it very clear where to click
capability. Provide interactivity to find what they need.
with features like forums,
quizzes and tools. Web visitors (3) Design the site for
customers, not the company. interesting. Posting dry product
Your site needs to satisfy the information which never changes
needs of customers, not the is not interesting. Yes, you need
company. So, don't post content to have product information and
which is not really useful to the other information on your site
site's customer. And avoid that won't change much, but you
over-flattering marketing hype can also post more timely
about the company. It inflates content. You can, for example,
the ego of the company more than post content about how your
it helps your customer. products can be used in certain
situations in life. Provide tips
(4) Involve the Visitor. and techniques - things which are
Keep the visitor involved and immediately applicable and solve
make them feel like a valuable a problem.
contributor. Actively ask for the
feedback and suggestions. Ask for (6) Pay Attention to
communication from your visitors Form/Design.
and answer that communication Some sites simply over-do it on
swiftly. When getting that the eye-candy. Big graphics just
communication, capture their for the sake of graphics often
email address. This will allow impress the site's designer more
you to communicate with them long than the visitor. Do not use
after they have moved on and graphics that are large and
forgotten about you. purposeless. Remember, some
visitors may still be accessing
(5) Keep it Current. your website via dial-up. Your
You need to have content on your site needs to load up quickly for
website which is timely and all users. A slow website will
relevant to the customer's life. cause your users to leave
Posting month-old news is not quickly. Also, pay attention to
graphic and design size. Many web later use. Employ the "push/pull"
designers operate on fairly large marketing strategy. A visitor
screen resolutions and sometimes coming to your website is the
forget that even though a graphic pull, but later you want to push
looks great to you, it will content back to them in the form
appear enormous to somebody on a of a newsletter or other
smaller resolution. On the flip promotional material. Start a
side, don't go too light on mailing list and use it. Invite
graphics. A site which is poorly visitors to sign up. Promotion
designed and using the default makes or breaks a business, and
font and no color is not very as long as you respect the
aesthetically pleasing. Any web ethical considerations of your
visitor, whether they admit it or mailing list, you should use it.
not, judges your company by your
website unless they have (8) Don't Operate in a
something else to go on. A Cocoon.
well-designed site communicates The internet is a medium which is
professionalism. A poor design shared by millions. When you set
makes the site seem like an up your website, don't operate as
afterthought. if you are a self-contained
island. Get out there and keep in
(7) Promote. tune with what is happening on
When a visitor communicates to other websites related to your
you via email, it is best to use own. Participate in forums. Post
a web form. not only will this links to other websites and ask
keep your email address from for a link in return. Form
being picked up by spammers, it partnerships with other sites if
will also allow you to ask your it is appropriate. When it comes
customers for their email address to communication, people like
and then store that address for personal contacts. Hiding behind
general email address like they try to leave your site. Or
"sales" and "info" is OK as long at the very least make external
as there is a way to also email links open in a new window.
you directly. A company site
which allows email direct to the (10) Track Your Visitors
management is good. Just remember Pay attention to your site's
how much you hate calling a statistics and react accordingly.
company and getting stuck in What are people reading? How are
their phone system. Sometimes you they finding you? Do they just
just want to talk to somebody. come and leave right from your
Give your visitors that ability. homepage? How long as they are on
your website? Do they return?
(9) Have a Plan to Attract This data is immensely valuable
Repeat Traffic. in fine-tuning your website based
Use newsletters, out-going email, on customer needs and wants.
contests, forums, clubs, auctions Remember, the biggest mistake of
- anything that will cause people any webmaster is designing the
to return to your website. When site for what THEY want. A
posting links to other websites, successful website is designed
don't just send your visitors for the target audience, not to
somewhere else. They may never impress the site's owner.
return. Provide them an exit
page. Give them a pop-up when
About the Author:
David Risley is a web developer and founder of PC Media, Inc. (http://www.pcmedianet.com). Specializes in PHP/MySQL development, consulting and internet business management. He is also the founder of PC Mechanic (http://www.pcmech.com), a large website delivering do-it-yourself computer information to thousands of users every day.
Read more articles by: David Risley
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
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