What makes an effective website?

Have you ever felt confused and frustrated when trying to order something online?

The longer it takes for a customer to find information or place an order the higher the chance becomes that they will just leave without ordering.

This means less money to the website's owner.

Traditionally there has been a disconnection between web design and web marketing. Web design requires both technical and artistic competence. I don't know how many web designers possess both these skills and understand what makes a website sell -- but it isn't very many.

Usability

How hard is it to find information on your website?

Can your customer find what they are looking for in one or two clicks? Do they have to use a special search function (which returns irrelevant results?)

Is your site's navigation difficult to figure out?

Your site should have a traditional navigation menu -- preferably on the left column or on the top by the header. The harder someone has to look the less chance there is that they will find it.

When you look at an image your eyes grasp certain elements. Movement and contrast stand out the most.

Proper use of both layout and contrast will guide viewer's eyes to important parts of your page.

Have you ever been to a website with a black background and small grey text? It isn't very easy to read. This encourages viewers to skip on to something else.

Bad headlines sink sites

A good copy writer can make the difference between no sales and a strong profit. Direct marketers (those people who send you junk mail) understand this -- and it makes them millions of dollars every single year.

We are constantly testing new headlines and body copy on our for-profit web sites. Some things work, others don't. It is ultimately the customer's purchases that tell us what works.

E-mail newsletters

Why should you have an e-mail newsletter?

When a potential customer visits your website you have grabbed their attention -- at least until they leave. Once they leave there is no guarantee that they are coming back.

Creating an opt-in e-mail newsletter allows you to keep reminding that potential customer you exist. The chances are strong that within the next few months to a year they will buy something from you. A weekly e-mail newsletter can increase your sales by 25% or more.

E-mail newsletters are useless if they are a big advertisement. Your readers will ignore them or just unsubscribe.

Use your newsletter to help your customer out. Educate them about your products. Tell them how they work. Are you constantly getting the same question in your e-mail? Write the answer in your next newsletter.

We run a newsletter. We provide real information about internet marketing you will have a hard time finding yourself. I personally spend several hours each day keeping up to date with the newest trends. If I find something important you are going to hear about it.

Don't undervalue one of your most important assets

Your website shouldn't be a liability to your business.

Is your site a digital "brochure"? Make it a digital salesman. It can sell for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year -- to anyone in the world.