"Does Your Website Provide News That
Your Visitors Can Use?"
For the past several days, I've been researching
the Internet in an attempt to learn how to create Active Server
Pages (ASP) for one of my web design clients. What an adventure!
(It has certainly shown me -- once again -- that instructions
written by technical people can be extremely challenging.)
Again and again, I looked at "tutorial" pages full
of information that basically told me nothing! Perhaps if
I'd had some familiarity with the subject, some of it would
have made sense. But this was not the case.
I've run into this same situation among many
websites on the Internet. I may find lots of information,
but it doesn't tell me anything. Or in some cases, there's
basically no information at all. Just as in my efforts
to learn ASP, I'm left in the dark.
Recently, I visited such a website. It was a
nice-looking site with pictures on the front page and four
navigational links (no other information). The links were:
Home, Photos, Information, Contact Us. Since I was already
on the "Home" page, that gave me three pages to
investigate. The Photo page was just what it said it was:
photos. No text, no explanation, nothing. When I clicked on
the Contact Us page, it brought up my e-mail program so I
could send a message (about what?). All that was left was
the "Information" page for me to find out something
about the site.
When I clicked on that page, I found four short descriptive phrases about the product (features, not benefits),
a "tag line," and four other phrases: "100%
Satisfaction Guaranteed," "Free Estimates,"
"References Available," and "Licensed, Bonded,
Insured." Hardly enough information to compel me to "contact"
the person (via the faceless e-mail address that appeared
on my screen).
The Internet is a wonderful place. It's an incredible
research tool. And if you hate shopping malls or have a disability
that limits your physical activity, finding products, service,
and information online is a God-send. With just a few clicks,
you can have things delivered to your door or access an entire
library on your computer screen.
But if you are the person who runs a website,
you need to remember that Internet surfing is all about "clicking
links." If you don't provide your visitors with "news
they can use," they're going to "click away"
and find a website that does answer their questions
and needs.
Don't assume people who come to your site "know"
what you're offering. Tell them! Look at what's there
as though you were a complete stranger or (in my case) a total
beginner. Make sure you are providing all the information
that visitors need to make a purchase, to contact you about
your services, or ... to learn. :-)
Nan Yielding has nearly 10 years experience as an online business owner. She is the owner of Writing-Etc.com and offers internet marketing services and assistance to help website owners attract more customers and increase sales.
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