In most cases, visitors arrive
at your website after they type in one or more of your keywords
at one of the search engines. They click on your link with high
hopes of finding what they're looking for.
Do they?
Do they find a headline or leading
sentence at the top of your Home page that states what your
site is about? Are they able to see within a few minutes that
you have what they're looking for?
Or do one of the following greet
your visitors?
A message that says "Loading . . ."
A flashing banner across the top of the page that says
"You're a Winner!"
Numerous animated images scattered throughout the page
that play havoc with their eyes.
A scrolling message across the top of the screen that
repeats again and again.
Or perhaps your first page 'disappears' as another
page takes over with an advertisement!
It's been said numerous times before,
but it bears repeating -- other sites that offer the same
thing you do are only a click away. And if visitors are presented
with non-essential visuals instead of substantial content,
that 'click' can take place in the blink of an eye.
First and foremost, your visitors
are coming to your site for information. They want to know
that what you're offering -- whether products or services
-- is going to satisfy their needs. They can only learn this
from what you tell them in writing -- not from moving images
that constantly distract their attention.
Animated graphics can be entertaining
-- the first time you see them. But when they're repeated
again and again on your Website, they quickly lose their appeal
... and even become annoying.
This isn't to say you shouldn't
have any graphics, but select images that compliment your
goods and services and are pleasant to look at ... not ones
that jump and move and wiggle and bounce.
Help people enjoy their visit to
your Website by giving them what they came for -- information
about your products and/or services. You can be assured if
they like what they see, they're going to come back for a
second ... third ... or even fourth visit. And the more times
they're exposed to what you're offering, the more chances
you have of gaining them as customers.
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.
This article may be copied and distributed so
long as it is not modified in any way and the footer at the end
of the article is included.
